The Reaver Hunter
by hazelmom
Summary: Jayne discovers that he's not the man he thought he was. Rated T for violence. COMPLETED!
1. Chapter 1

18

A/N: It's my first Firefly, but I'm an old hand in other fandoms: CSI, House, L&O:CI. I got a thing for Jayne. Like his layers when the writers find them. He's dumb in some ways, a clever animal in others. Got a sense of right and wrong that needs exploring. I went nuts on grammar and such. Now I can't get Whedon-speak out of my head.

This is a hard fic and a long one. Rated for violence. Translations are at the end. Barely an ounce of sentimentality, but a few surprises. Jayne POV.

Dedicated to my friend, Michael who is ten tons of enthusiasm for Firefly.

I would love to hear from this fandom!

sheila

**Reaver Hunter**

**Chapter 1**

He paced back and forth in the tall grass before the bluff, mumbling under his breath. He stopped once more at the edge of the bluff and shook his head. There was only a gentle wind, warm and he almost took time to 'member back to his boy days when he'd sit in the grass and wait for rabbits with his slingshot. Mal was ignoring him now, but he didn't pay this no mind. Mal always did this to him. He'd get all wadded up with some kind of idea that he has to save the world and that were it. He don't care about what that means to anyone else, least of all the people he's beholding to. And he certainly wasn't going to listen to his dumb mercenary who was only ever sayin' what everyone else was thinking anyway.

Jayne was used to this, and it rankled deep. The captain didn't give a good gorram about anything but his own crazy sense of right and wrong. And he expected every last one of 'em to trot after him like a litter of dumb puppies. That was good enough for people like Zoe who lived from mission to mission especially now that Wash was nothing more than a memory. It'd only been two months and so Jayne was hoping that there would come a time sometime in the future when the beautiful amazon woman would again break a smile. It wasn't like he cared he had to remind himself, but her empty face had grown unnerving and he worried that she'd pull a stupid move on one of these jobs and get them all killed. 'Sides there was something more going on with her. He could smell it. She was scenting just like his two older sisters in the early months after they married. And even though she wasn't showing no weight, she was carrying her back in that way that women did when a seed was growing. Jayne was all animal instinct. He couldn't help sensing things before the others did. She didn't act like she knew it though, the prissy doc weren't any ruttin' paying attention, and Jayne certainly wasn't going to be the one to tell her she was in a family way.

Kaylee would go along, she always did. Girl was so sunny a man had to near squint just to look her in the face. It bothered him that the captain took her for granted so. She had no business doing this kind of work. The thieving and the killing just wasn't in her nature. It set his teeth on edge every time someone shoved a gun in her hand. He figured it was just a matter of time before she blowed a foot off, and he wasn't thinking it was necessarily going to be her own.

The doc and the moonbrain didn't have much choice in the matter. They was crew now, but it was still new. Plus they was still being hunted, and so it weren't like they could walk away from the ship whenever they had a notion. 'Nara was another matter, but Jayne didn't put much thought into her. She looked down on him mostly, treated him like a guttersnipe carrying her bags for the odd coin. It amazed him sometimes that a whore could take on airs like that, but that was a Core slut for ya'.

The captain was going to send them all down the bluff, Jayne could feel it. He was going to send them down to that poor village right into the middle of a Reaver attack all because it was itchin' at his craw. Jayne had enough of this kind of madness. He wasn't trying to be some kind of hero; never enough money in it and people didn't appreciate it none anyway. He was going to be like a stubborn ol' work mule, he'd decided already. Nobody was going to move him from this spot. He was going to stick with the ship under the cover of brush. Reavers didn't know nothing about them hiding 'hind the bluff. If they stuck tight like normal folks, the Reavers could swoop down, take the village, and be gone in a couple hours. He'd even go down with the doc and bury bodies. It was the Christian thing, sure as shit. His mama hadn't raised no heathen. It was only too bad that the Sheppard was cold in the ground. He always put on a good show. Jayne hated for people to know, but he looked forward to a good sermon from time to time. It made him feel all civilized and upstanding like.

Mal was arguing with 'Nara again. Those two were always fussin' at each other like a couple of old hens. He turned his head when 'Nara told him that going down the bluff was a fool's game. The whore was making sense, and Jayne was all about supporting common sense, even from uppity prostitutes.

"We're not sitting up here and watching a massacre. Not doing it. No way. No how."

Jayne rolled his eyes. Who was being the work mule now?

"Mal, River says we got no more than twenty minutes before the Reavers drop out of orbit. We're not enough people and we don't have enough time. We can't make a difference to those people even if we wanted to." She was in his face, smooth olive skin and chocolate brown eyes. The two of them always fought like this as if this was their only opportunity to breath on one another.

"We're not standing back," Mal didn't even try to meet her eyes. He was too intent on the village below. People were running left and right; grabbing kids, pushing livestock, doing what people do when they have only minutes to decide their lives.

"I'll go with you, Sir. We'll go, take Jayne. Everyone else stays back." Zoe couldn't even bring passion to this declaration.

Jayne walked into their midst, a big man, eyes blazing. "Not going. I don't fight Reavers. You know that. Only when my back is to the wall. Damn animals don't even know we're here. We're staying back here. Going to hide. I like hiding. Getting a real knack for it. Maybe play some cards or something. It'll take the edge off. We can go down later and do the proper thing by those folks. I'll dig ever' last grave."

"Shut up, Jayne," Mal growled. "Don't want to hear your cowardly thoughts."

Jayne should've bristled, but he knew the captain was only baitin' him, trying to push him into some fool plan. "You do what you want, Mal. I ain't stoppin' ya'."

"Just want to stand back, do ya? Think you're going watch us die and then take Serenity. Nothing crafty about you, Cobb."

Jayne chuckled and looked away. "Say what you want. I ain't dying today. Need a reason anyhow. Bunch of farmers who don't know how to protect themselves ain't no kind of reason."

A sigh sounded and they all turned to the thin girl whose sundress whipped about her legs. "The new woman will go. Killing Reavers is good, clean fun. Besides, the new woman needs some practice, she's getting rusty sittin' around the ship just pretending to be a healthy human being."

"No!" Simon was generally more articulate than this, but there was a feeling dawning on all of them that this day was going to lay forever like a heavy stone around their necks. He licked his lips as if working a plan. She'd just turned 18 and was playing pilot these days. Wouldn't let anyone call her girl no more. Sent Jayne sailing halfway across the cargo bay last week when he forgot. Left a footprint on his stomach from it too. Funny thing: the ape man didn't even get mad at her about it. "River, we just need a minute to think. There's gotta be a better plan than just running down the bluff. I'm sure the captain is thinking of something right now."

River turned her big eyes on the captain. "No such luck. Captain is afraid he can't live with himself iffn' he doesn't slide down the bluff in the next five minutes. I'm sliding with him."

Simon let out a heavy sigh and turned to Jayne. "I need to borrow a gun."

Jayne threw his head back and laughed. "You ain't going to be no good down there. I seen you with a gun. I give you less than ten minutes before Reavers bit a hole in your neck. 'Sides they's going to be needing you when this is over."

"I'll go." Kaylee was holding onto a landing support like it was the only thing keeping her upright. Probably was.

Mal shook his head. "No lil' sister. You got to stay back with the doc and 'Nara. Got to take care of the ship."

A dark cloud popped into the sky. Reavers were startin' to break atmosphere. They waited for the clouds to multiply, but there was only the one. A big ship emerged from the cloud, probably hold 40-50 of them, but it was the only one. It would be a few minutes before the cold sound of straining engines and radioactive clouds would reach them. Mal turned to Zoe with the question in his eyes.

She shrugged. "It's one small village. Probably wouldn't need more than a couple dozen. Maybe Reavers've gotten into resource management."

"Better for us." He turned and ran up the ramp. Zoe took one more worried look at the sky and jogged after him. Jayne kicked dirt into the ground and cursed Chinese into the wind.

When he turned around, he found them all staring at him. "What you looking at, you ruttin' group o' _Hundans_? Man's gotta make decisions about his life. Simple for ya', isn't it? If it's a sure to die kind of situation, send in the ape man. Granted, I specialize in this type of work, but I know what you're all thinking. Make Jayne go. Don't matter none if he don't come back." He spit hard at the ground and walked off.

"Man's gotta make decisions," River murmured as she watched him walk deeper into the brush. She could feel her brother literally radiate anxiety at her; his thoughts burned her forehead, and she shook her head, moving away from him. "New woman's gotta make decisions too. I got skills. It's no good to keep me trapped in your worry world. I'm tired of it, Simon." She frowned gently at him. It would be bad to leave him angry. It would eat at his gut. She would feel it. So she ran up and kissed his cheek; then jumped away before he could get a proper hold on her.

"Put your boots on, _Mei-Mei_," he called desperately after her as she disappeared up the ramp.

The earsplitting scowl of poor Reaver ship maintenance shook the sky by the time that Zoe and Mal emerged from the ship, loaded down with killing supplies. River trotted after them still in her slip of a dress, nothing more than a hunting knife strapped to her thigh, but dutifully wearing the heavy boots Kaylee gifted her with on Victory day when they stopped on Raisa world some months back. Mal looked up once hoping to catch Inara's eyes, but she was turned away from them, an elegant hand wiping furiously at her face. Mal turned back to the task at hand, going over the edge after Zoe. River waved at Simon and Kaylee as if she was off to a day shopping windows, and leaped over the edge after them. Behind them, Jayne went off on another imaginative curse rant, but no one paid him no mind.

Kaylee shivered when the wind picked up, and Simon came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her middle. He rocked her gently to and fro. Inara's face had turned to stone as she stood beside them watching the captain and crew scramble down to the bottom of the bluff. The ugly Reaver ship was dropping without preamble onto the village; its shadow blanketing the ground like evil itself. The ship hovered while ropes appeared out of portals and man-beasts shimmied down them, their weapons sticking out at angles. The screaming started almost immediately. Folks hadn't had time to gather much. Most were still in homes, stubborn as to giving up things they sweat so hard to get.

Kaylee turned and buried her face in Simon's chest. Protectively, he put his hands over her ears. A shadow fell alongside Inara, and she knew only one man capable of a shade that big. His breathing beside her was hot and tortured as if he himself had spent the last five minutes negotiating the scramble down the bluff. He made noises through his teeth, but she wouldn't look at him. She knew he was struggling and she was glad for it.

They were a distance, and Jayne produced binoculars from a pocket in his fatigues. He growled into the distance. Inara was tempted to ask for information, but she wasn't about to show him any sense of community. She could see Mal and Zoe plastered against a building. River was no where in sight. Zoe lobbed an object in the air, and it dropped in a group of Reavers. The explosion made Inara startle and she swallowed hard as a cloud of dust rose. When it cleared she could see a mass of bodies; some lying still and some struggling to pull themselves up again. She couldn't see Mal for a moment, but then he appeared as if by magic in the middle of the bodies, a glint of steel visible in his hands before he plunged it into Reavers still stunned by the blast.

Jayne growled and Inara could imagine the hint of a grin tugging at his mouth. Zoe was at the next house, setting up her big gun. She adjusted a couple times, and then shot repeatedly into the belly of the Reaver ship above. After a moment, smoke billowed out of the bottom of the ship, and it shuddered some before tilting and moving out of the valley, disappearing behind the hills beyond. Inara looked at Jayne, unable to contain her confusion. He looked down at her. "She burned through the heat shield. Probably got at the radiation coils some." He squinted in Kaylee's direction. "How long before that bird's in the air again?"

She blinked and pulled her head away from Simon's chest. "Gonna take at least twenty-thirty minutes before they can repair that heat shield."

"Bird's down," he muttered under his breath. Inara could sense his body tense next to hers. She waited for whatever eruption was brewing in the big man. Suddenly his calloused hand wrapped around her arm, and he took off for the ship, pulling her along behind. She squealed in surprise, and Simon and Kaylee ran after them. He dragged her up the ramp and pushed her against a bulkhead as he turned to face Simon and Kaylee, his trusty Vera nodding at them. "Don't go near that ramp, _dong ma_?"

"What are you doing, you fool?" Simon sputtered, his arms wide.

"Not taking the ship, Jayne." He nodded at the conviction in Kaylee's voice. She was starting to sound like more than just a flighty sparrow. It wore well on her.

"Not trying, lil Kaylee. You and doc need to stay off ship for a time. Got no time to explain." He hit the cargo door release and the doors slowly shut. He turned to Inara and took her arm again. "We're going to your shuttle."

She struggled against him, and he saw no other choice than to throw her over his shoulder and climb steps while she beat desperately at his back. In her shuttle, he dropped her on the rich velvet bed he'd dreamt about at times when they was weeks between whorehouses. She lay sprawled on the bed and glared up at him. "What could you be thinking? It's a federal crime to assault a companion. Alliance will lock you up for the rest of your sorry life if you so much as—"

He threw back his head and laughed. Then he shook his head at her. "Not interested in that fancy skin o' yours, 'Nara. Save it for those prissy officials you're so busy sexin' up ever' time you drop dirtside. Not interested in trim cold as a side of locker meat. I like a warm, willin' body for sexin'."

She screwed up her face.

He turned and headed for her cockpit. "Get this thing lit up."

"What is going on?" She scrambled off the bed.

He turned to her. "The Reaver bird's down. Got to get this shuttle in the air. Need you to drop me down there before the bird flies again."

"What!"

"Iffn' I jump the bluff like they did, I got no cover. I need strategic ground. They got a shuttle pad on the clinic center of town. Drop me there."

"You! You want to help?"

He growled at her. "You gonna do it or not. It's better for them if I got good ground. I can help 'em."

"I don't understand why."

He winced at her. "Well, don't bust a vein trying to sense it out. We got no time for puzzling on things. You gonna' do it?"

She nodded.

"I got to grab supplies." He turned without another word and headed out the door. She started throwing switches, cutting out half of her start up checklist. He appeared a scarce few minutes later loaded down with more armament than she knew existed on the ship.

He dropped down in the seat next to her and closed his eyes. He only had a couple of minutes before he was getting dropped into the sphincter of hell and it helped if he had time to organize his thoughts.

She eased the shuttle off and then up, giving one glance his direction. "I still don't understand—"

One eye popped open and he sneered at her. "'Cause I ain't a man like this. Didn't realize it would burn so."

"There's no profit in it, Jayne." She couldn't help herself. It was obvious, but she was still perplexed by his decision.

"Gorram it, Woman! I know that. Trying to turn me moonbrain crazy with all yer dumb questions, ain't ya?"

She quieted, but there was no more time to rest his eyes. He leaned forward, hard blue eyes intent on the village below. "Don't land. Don't want those _Hundans_ gettin' shots off at your boat. Get me close and I'll throw a rope."

He glanced at her and she nodded.

"'Nother thing; you head off to the west and bank behind those hills. Skim the valley on the other side 'til you reach Serenity again. Don't need no one seeing where yer landing."

Her eyes widened slightly as she realized she never thought to be careful about exposing Serenity's position.

He caught the look on her face and chuckled. "You got your specialities and I got mine. Companions got no call for battle thinking."

A small smile curled the edges of her mouth. "You'd be surprised, Jayne."

He raised an eyebrow at her as he got up and headed for the back. "Don't even want to know what that means."

She settled over the clinic roof and tried to steady the craft. His rough voice sounded from the back. "Don't come down right away after they leave. Give it a couple of hours. They like to retreat and then see what folks start movin' around. Then they drop down again. Just need a couple of hours though. Reavers ain't patient long and folks is going to need the doc."

She wanted to respond, say something useful, maybe even wish him luck, but the sharp groan of metal told her that he'd already opened up her cargo hatch. "Keep it steady, 'Nara," she heard as the small craft rocked when he pushed off the edge, swinging down on a rope. She forced her eyes forward, ignoring the screams and chaos below. She had to stay steady over the clinic roof, get him close enough so that he didn't hurt himself when he jumped. She was hovering close, and sounds of screams sounded through the open hatch. Shivers ran down her spine and the metallic taste of blood seeped from the spot where her teeth gnawed on her lower lip. The next moment the little shuttle rocked again from the lost weight on its line, and Inara knew he was gone. She slammed her hand down on the hatch close and pointed the shuttle at the sky.

He sank to his knees when he dropped, careful to fold into the fall, and rolled across the flat roof. Weapons dug into his body as he rolled but he didn't worry. Jayne knew guns, and every safety on every piece was in place. For a moment, he just lay there and looked up as the shuttle shot upward and looped around to the west. He gave a grunt of satisfaction and scrambled to his feet. There was a door on the roof, but it was locked. Screams came from his left and he trotted over to peer over the edge. Waves rose up from his gut as he spied on Reavers preying on a woman. He hefted Vera to his shoulder and lit into their midst. He knew he was probably hitting the poor woman too, but he couldn't see a better outcome. Dust cleared and three Reavers lay sprawled over her still body. Recognizing the power of his new position, he ran along the edge of the roof looking for more Reavers to gun. They'd be on him quick as spit once they realized where he was gunning from, but he was going to take out a bushel of them in the process. He spotted Mal when he peered over the South end. He was holed up behind a wrecked mule holding off a group of Reavers trying to take a home. He was alone and Jayne's gut waves grew. A piece of Reaver spear stuck out of his leg at a bad angle, and he knew Mal was holed up 'cause he had no choice. Jayne got a bead on the group of baddies hassling Mal, and filled them with good ol' Rim lead. Behind him he could hear beating on the rooftop door, and he figured they'd be spilling onto the roof in seconds.

Mal caught sense of the fact that his Reavers were dying on him without his intervention, and he scanned the rooftops. His big merc loomed over a roof about 100 yards yonder, and Mal shook his head, a grin spreading across his face.

Jayne saw this but had no time for niceties. The roof door blew open and he lobbed a grenade into their midst. Explosion was loud, and Jayne ended up on his ass, Reaver parts hanging off him. He growled and swept burnt flesh off him, scrambling to his feet. He had only a few moments before the next wave would come. Looking over the edge of the roof, he spotted a balcony a couple of floors down. Jayne wasn't ever going to go bragging about the fact that he was afeared of heights. It was best left a secret, even better when it was a secret he kept from himself. He shook his head hard before he could let the fear take hold. Instead, he grabbed a pipe and swung himself over the edge. Hanging there, he was still about ten feet away from anything solid, but it couldn't be helped and so he dropped. His knee erupted sharply as he landed hard, and he set off a string of curses so new they'd never met breath before. He hauled himself up to the railing. He knew there was no resting here. Reavers would see him from the roof and spear him up good. The next drop was pure ground and no further than the last one. Ignoring his wailing knee, he swung himself over the side and landed in dirt. He rolled against the building so they couldn't get a good spear in him. Mal was a straight shot from where he was, and so he pulled himself to his feet. The knee was in agony, but it didn't fold up on him so he grunted hard and made a run for the next building. Sweat was pouring down his face, and he hadn't yet made fifty yards.

Mal swung his weapon in Jayne's direction, and started throwing fire at the Reavers chucking spears from the clinic rooftop. Jayne forgot careful, and made a beeline for Mal's position, his captain yelling curses at his thoughtlessness. To their surprise, Jayne made it to the wrecked mule in one piece.

"Dumb as a bowl of oatmeal you are! _Yu bun duh! Yu bun dah! Yu bun dah!"_ Mal shouted as Jayne heaved himself down beside him against the mule. Jayne didn't more than grunt back at him. He pulled himself up to a sitting position and studied the spear sticking out of the captain's thigh.

Jayne ignored his rant; always the best thing to do around Mal. "I'm going to get that stick outa ya'."

"Fat lot of good it'll do me," Mal said, grabbing onto an exhaust pipe. He knew that when Jayne got an idea, he wasn't likely to ponder on it much.

Sure as shit, the man wrapped a big paw around the spear and pulled it out in one try. Mal stopped noticing before the tip hit air. He woke up a few moments later to find his merc tying up his thigh with a t-shirt.

Mal looked at his bare-chested merc and shook his head. "T-shirts got your germs. Bound to kill any Reaver poison might be oozing in."

Jayne smiled. He started pulling grenades out of various pockets in his fatigues. "How'd you lose the womenfolk so fast?"

Mal shrugged. "I got hit, and didn't call for them. Thought it was better. Now we're all separated, and that ain't good."

Jayne growled. "Separatin's not good. Reavers want that."

"I just said that."

"You're not going anywhere on that bad wheel."

"Another brilliant assessment, my dear Cobb."

"I ain't your dear nothing, Mal. Get them sly thoughts outa' your head."

Mal chuckled. "I thought you wasn't dyin' for no dirt farmers."

Jayne furrowed his brow. "I'm here for crew. I can't be scheming about the 'verse with lil' Kaylee and Prissy Pants. They don't know nothing about good thieving. Them farmers is incidentals."

Mal nodded. "My mistake. We're in a pickle, Jayne. No doubt about it."

"Yeah," Jayne leaned against the mule, his brows dark and brooding. "Let's skip to the 'this is what we're going to do about it' part of this conversation."

"I ain't moving right now. Leg's not working. I need you to find our females. Bring 'em back iffn' practical. We'll regroup."

"Not leavin' ya', Mal. Bad idea."

Mal pushed him. "Big ol' soft teddy bear you are. _Ni men dou_! Stop thinking like a schoolgirl and do the smart thing."

Jayne ignored his shove. "Book said to do the right thing."

Mal nodded. "Then get our womenfolk back. Ain't nothing righter than that."

Jayne sighed and counted out his grenades. "I'm leavin' three for ya'. Be sparin' with 'em. Usually, ya' act like we got nothing but. Be frugal this time."

Mal didn't mount any protests. Jayne was sentimental about weapons. Didn't truck no misuse of a good killin' tool.

"You got ammo?" He growled, pulling at Mal's weapon over to him to check for himself. He frowned into the barrel. Then he pulled a magazine off his shoulder and gave it to Mal. "Point me in a direction."

Mal did, and was surprised at the pain on Jayne's face when he stood. Jayne nodded and pointed at his knee. "Popped after the first drop off the roof."

"You can move around still?"

Jayne shrugged. "Holds my weight. Worry about it more later."

He didn't give Mal another look. Crouching for cover and 'cause of the pain, he headed around the corner of the building. Mal sighed and leaned back against the mule. He looked down at the grenades and started planning schemes for them.

Jayne got no resistance the first two buildings. By the third building, he knew why. Zoe and River were trapped in the town square, hiding behind some statue of an Alliance Hundun while Reavers tightened a circle around them.

Jayne found a perch on top of an old wagon and pointed Vera at the largest group of Reavers. He punched a hole through 'em, scattering the rest to the sides of buildings and under carts. Jayne smiled. This was Reaver hunting at its best. He'd just point at a dirty Reaver crouching somewhere and pick him off. Satisfaction never came sweeter than moments like this.

The 'new woman' girl spotted him and pointed. Zoe looked nine shades of relieved. She shouted at River, and then stood up to throw covering fire as little Crazy sprinted across the square and scrambled up to his position. Lil' Crazy wrapped her thin arms around his middle and squeezed. Jayne had no notion as to how to respond to such a gesture so he kept concentrating on target shooting.

"We got tired, we did. I liked killing 'em better in a small place. Here I got too much to figure out." She whispered into his skin. Still wrapped around his waist, he could feel a trembling running through her arms. She was overwhelmed; he could feel it. Happened to the best of fighters. They got too many sensations coming at them, and things just scrambled up in the head.

He closed his eyes for a moment and tried to pretend she was a little sister. Relying on those instincts, he wrapped a big arm around her back and pulled her in tighter. "Ya' just need a minute to breathe is all. Happens to all of us. Just close your eyes for a few moments. I got ya'. Ain't going to let nothing happen to ya'."

It was in that moment that he caught the whir of a spear out of the corner of his eye, and then it was in Zoe. She was staggering one direction and then another, the big long pole drilled into her upper chest. Jayne caught his breath, and turned his attention to the Reaver throwing. He cut him down in a heartbeat. Then he rubbed River's back. "Listen up, New Woman River Girl. Reaver just stuck Zoe. We got to move. We're working together now. _Dong ma_? You watch my back and I'll watch yours." She lifted her head and nodded, following him off the top of the wagon. The knee was growing like a fire out of control. He swallowed hard, trying to hide the agony from the girl.

She turned out a natural at this work. She was kickin' at Reavers he never saw while he was pickin' off others crouching in the shadows. It was short work getting to Zoe who was laying on the ground, breathing way too heavy for Jayne's comfort. He passed off Vera to River and told her to keep up a steady cover. Then he knelt next to Zoe. "I gotta pull it out."

She nodded. "You find the captain?"

"Yup. He's holdin' court about three buildings back."

"He hurt bad?"

"Right now, you got first dibs on the sick bay. Doc's gonna' have a fit when he sees you."

"I'm okay with this." She looked away from him. "Get back to the captain."

He placed a hand solid around her collarbone and held the spear tight with the other. Without a word of warning, he pulled it out. It came out easier than Mal's. It was clear that it hadn't come out the back. He'd take any good news he could get.

She wailed hard, but she didn't pass out as he ripped cloth off her pants and stuffed it in the hole. Finally she turned toward him with wet eyes. "I don't mind going, Jayne. Life ain't felt like much since Wash left."

He scowled at her. "Don't want to hear talk like that. Wash don't want to hear it neither. Especially now that's it more than just you for makin' decisions."

She frowned at him.

"Ya' really going to just ignore the signs, ain't ya? Going to just pretend you don't got seed growin' in you."

She looked at him, eyes wide. "You don't know."

"It ain't no secret. You're beginning to show the signs. Your hormones are scentin' up everywhere you go."

She didn't say anything, her breathe growing shallow in her chest.

"What says Wash ain't watching both of us right now? What would he think? He'd want to see this baby live."

"You never liked Wash."

"He never knew how to share those damn dinosaurs, was his problem. Acted like they was museum pieces or something."

Zoe found the hint of grin playing on her lips.

"Up and at 'em, Zoe. You don't want Mal finding out you're some kind of loafer, do ya?"

She groaned as he pulled her to a sitting position and propped her against the statue. He pressed her weapon back into her hands. She leaned into the bronze and attempted to steady herself.

Jayne stood up. "I gotta go talk to that new woman moonbrain of a ruttin' girl person."

He found her twenty yards away, poaching a group of Reavers huddled in a doorway. He yelled at her to pull back. She flashed him a look. Took one more shot and scurried back to him.

"Hear me, Girl ruttin' Woman! You don't go prancing around in the middle of a battle. They want to get us all separated so's they can corner us. _Dong ma?"_

She nodded. "Zoe's okay?"

"Zoe's hurt bad. This is turning out to be one helluva bad day. _Ta ma duh!"_

She looked down.

"Plus, I got no good plan. Just know that we're starting to weed 'em out pretty good. They ain't in big packs anymore."

She cocked her head at him.

"My only idea is this: I stay here with Zoe. Gonna get her up to that house against the bluff. It gives me good position. You go down and cover Mal. Maybe we can fight our way back 'til we're all joined again."

She frowned. "You said, 'no separating'."

He kicked at the dirt and scowled at her. "Don't question your elders, Girl Woman."

"What to call me is always a puzzle for you despite the fact that I have a name that rolls off the tongue. Rrrriverrrrrr."

He rolled his eyes. "Stop distractin' me from the debacle at hand. It's the only plan I got."

She narrowed her eyes for a moment. "There is logic here. We protect our assets. Reavers will get tired after awhile. Ain't no fun to rape and kill when you're getting picked off left and right."

"That's what I was telling you, ruttin' New Crazy _Fei Fei_ of a Girl." He threw up his hands at the look on her face. "What! I got all these name choices. You can't narrow them down some?"

She placed hands on hips, eyes narrowed. "We will talk about this later."

She handed Vera back to him, but he stepped back a little as if it was hot to the touch. "Keep it. You need a weapon. Yer doin' good with her. I was watchin' ya'."

She frowned at him again. "I don't understand this new Jayne you have become."

"I ain't become no new nothing. It's in my best interest to keep you safe. You got good moves with them Reavers. 'Sides, I got other weapons."

She pulled Vera back into her chest and smiled. "Thanks New Jayne."

He pawed the air in frustration. "Aw, get outa here already."

She looked at him once more, but he frowned deeply at her so she didn't say anything. Just perched Vera over her shoulder and headed in the direction of Mal. He watched her for a moment, standing straight up like a crazy fool, lucky as all hell that Reaver activity was down for the moment. Then he liberated Ellie Mae from around his ankle and headed back to Zoe.

He got her to her feet and convinced her to wrap her arms around his neck even though he wasn't sure there was still part of her listening. He started walking backwards, Ellie Mae scanning the town square for prey. Zoe dragged more than walked so he had to hold her tight with one arm.

He was only yards from the house on the bluff when the spear hit low in his back. His cry was strangled by the pain shooting up his spine. He dropped Zoe and reached around, dragging it out of his kidney before he had a chance to think twice. He was on the ground now, pulling Zoe by the arm, inching his way to the door of the house, shouting painful curses into the air. Ellie Mae searched wildly for the perpetrator, and he finally saw a pack of four of them, bloody and drooling, heading at him with spears drawn. Ellie Mae erupted into their mix, and one fell backwards, spear bouncing as it hit the ground. The others scattered for cover.

He reached the door, and found a dead little girl lying across the stoop; skirt pulled over her head. "_Wuh de tyen, ah_," was all he could manage. He pushed her inside the door, pulling Zoe in with him. He shut the door hard and leaned against the wall, breathe chugging out of him hard and painful. He looked around the room and cursed hard at what he saw. Windows were small and the room dark. Best thing for a house on a hot planet; bad thing for a merc trying to see 'em before they were on top of 'em. He felt a line in the floor and his breath caught. Some folks put Reaver cellars in the house; trapdoors carved into the floor, almost seamless. Reavers wasn't careful demons. They didn't look for cracks and such.

He hauled back and searched for the pull. For a moment, nothing; then a piece of wood popped up and he pulled. The sound of wood wasn't what got him. It was the squeals of womenfolk below. Folks was alive down there. Someone pointed a gun up the hole and he grabbed the barrel testily and pulled. Gun flew out of the hold, and he placed it behind him. Then he leaned over and shouted, "Ain't anyone got any sense down there?"

The red eyes of a young woman appeared. "Yer not a Reaver."

"Starting to feel like one_, ta ma duh!_ Ya' got room down there?"

"It's tight. There's six of us."

He took a deep breath. Cellar weren't going to save any of them from Reavers. They saw him go in the house. Wasn't going to stop 'til they found him. "Make room for one more."

Girl nodded reluctantly, and without another word, he began feeding Zoe into the hole. Then he peered in. "Don't come out for nothing. _Dong ma_? People's who made it to the woods will come for you in a few hours. Sit tight." He set the door back in place, and dragged the poor dead child over the seams.

The room was no good for fighting. He couldn't see one _go se_ of a thing. He also hated the idea of Reavers trapping around in here on top of the womenfolk. Someone was bound to start noisin'. It was true they was a confusing lot, but he didn't hold nothing against 'em. 'Sides they was caring for Zoe now.

He crawled to the front door and pulled it open, and dragged himself out to the stoop. He pulled the door shut and leaned heavy against it. He was hoping to lure the _Hundans _away, but he could feel that he weren't up to getting on his feet again. It was a last stand; no doubt about it. Always thought he would feel more morose like about it, but he didn't feel nothing but tired. He cocked Ellie Mae and scanned in all directions. It was silent, but he knew they was hovering. Spears weren't coming at him though, and he knew what that meant. They wanted him alive and squirming when they took him. They loved good, fresh, screaming meat. He thought about putting Ellie Mae in his mouth, but he felt no urge for it. If they was going to take him, he was going to make it the sorriest experience they ever had.

A noise from his left had him jerking that direction. Then a big one hit him from the right. Ellie Mae was no good now, but instinct put his hand on a blade tied to his thigh. He stuck the Reaver hard just as the demon was sinking teeth into his shoulder.

The other two were there, and Jayne felt himself being dragged off the stoop. There was nothing but animal left in him now. He screamed and spit and kicked and pounded every surface he could find. It weren't going to be enough. He knew it, felt it in his gut, but he weren't going easy; not ol' Jayne Cobb.

TBC

_Translations_

Wah de tyen, ah - Dear God in heaven!

Hundan Bastard or Jerk

Fei Fei Baboon

Ta muh dah Fuck me blind!

Go se Crap or shit

Ni men dou idiot

Dong ma understand

Yu bun duh Stupid


	2. Chapter 2

I lied. Said this would be 2 chapters, but I got into it, and now it's goin' be three, and the way I am, I ain't makin' no guarantees about that either. I'm glad that people enjoyed the first part. This part is quite different. No action. It's all aftermath. Still primarily Jayne's POV, but I have been driftin' into Mal's head some. I've been talked to several times this week for using Whedon-speak at work. Can't help it though.

Thanks so much to those of you who read and reviewed the first part. It means a lot to hear from you. I hope you enjoy this chapter as well.

sheila

**Reaver Hunter**

**Chapter 2**

He could smell and hear, but he didn't open his eyes. No reason to let the _Hundans _know he was awake. He heard of this where Reavers kept a person alive for days for sport. He let out a deep sigh, and noted the numerous places on his body that ached him. Reavers wasn't going to keep him alive for long; pain he was feeling told him that much.

Something leaned over him and he felt breath on his neck. His eyes popped open, and he saw the Reaver looking funny, like a country doctor. The man was wearing glasses which didn't seem to be a Reaver thing to do.

"Mr. Cobb, I want you to relax. You have extensive injuries."

Jayne growled. He couldn't imagine any Reavers knowing niceties and manners like this.

"We repaired quite a few wounds. You have to lie still. We can't have any of this sutures opening."

Jayne strained, but found his arms and legs pinned down. "Let me out. Make it a fair fight, ya' savage demon."

"Reavers are gone, Mr. Cobb. You had a lot to do with that. We're just trying to get you better."

Jayne lashed his head back and forth. "Let me out, you _hundan _coward!"

"Reavers are gone."

Jayne's straining had ignited a thousand fires on his body. He couldn't quite convince himself they wasn't gnawin' on him this very moment. He laid down his head and howled.

The Reaver doc stepped out of his view, and Jayne gritted his teeth and struggled to get free. He heard shouting around him and then a familiar face hobbled up to the bed, pale and sweaty.

"Mal!" Jayne yelled when his face came into view. "_Wah de tyen, ah_! There's Reavers! Cut me loose!"

Mal shook his head, trying to steady Jayne's shaking torso with his hands. "Calm down, Jayne. It's over. Reavers are gone."

"Not true, Mal. They got me all laced up here."

"Listen to me, Jayne. Reavers is gone. They're restrainin' ya' so ya' don't hurt yourself. Ya' been having powerful dreams and yer hurt bad."

"How can it be? No sense to it." Jayne's face scrunched up in confusion. "I was alone, and they had me down, clear as day. Wasn't getting out of that, no how."

"All the activity had died down where I was. Used your 'nades and had me a dead Reaver party. Action was all centered on your part of town. River realized it when she found me. Never said a word, just turned around and headed back your direction."

Jayne shuddered. Living weren't something he'd given any thought to. He wondered how far ate he was before she got to him. He raised his head to try and assess the damage.

Mal sighed. "They bit you up good, but you got all your limbs and such. I figure ya' were a real ornery cuss with 'em 'cause they never got down to much in the way of eatin'." He nodded then and grinned outa' one side of his mouth. "I got a good bit o' news for ya'. Doc says they didn't do no damage to your John Thomas. Figured ya'd be happy to hear that."

Jayne grunted, but it weren't clear what he was feelin'. Then he blinked and looked at his captain. "Did ya' find Zoe?"

Mal nodded. "Ya' hid her good, Jayne. I ain't forgettin' that."

"She alright?"

"She's bad. Doc's got her on the ship. She lost a lot of blood, but them womenfolk took good care o' her down in the hole."

Jayne looked around, realization dawning on his face. "I ain't on the ship."

Mal nodded. "Weren't many survivors down here, and the medics got to the hills in time so you and I is getting treated right here. Plenty of docs here. It gives Simon room to concentrate on Zoe."

"Reavers are coming back," he whispered.

"Most probably. We're goin' start airliftin' survivors to the next moon this afternoon. There's a colony there that's better protected."

Jayne nodded. "Put me on the ship. I'll rest there. Won't move for nothin'. Promise. Don't want to be here when they come back."

"Sorry, Jayne, you gotta' stay here. Yer not ready for a move. Plus we need the room for civilians."

"Don't leave me, Mal." Jayne's eyes held blind terror. "I were wrong how I acted, but I did come for ya'. 'Member? I gave ya' grenades."

Mal took a deep breath. "I ain't leavin' ya', Jayne. Just transportin' folks. Nobody's leavin' ya'. Ya' just can't be moved right now. Got sutures everywhere. I can see that ya' already burst a few with yer antics."

"Mal, I can't do this. Iffn' yer gonna' leave me, at least untie me. I gotta have a fair chance." He groaned as he tried to lift his chest off the table.

Mal nodded at a voice sounding behind him. Then Jayne saw the needle and howled.

…………………………………………………………………………………….

He pulled at the restraints again, and this time a woman's voice sounded. "Jayne, its Inara. Just relax. Don't pull like that. You gotta' stay quiet."

He looked at her with eyes wide. "Ta muh dah! They got ya' too. I thought I told ya' to fly behind the hills, all crafty like. I understand yer a whore and all, but these directions was pretty simple."

She chuckled and shook her head, taking a moment to compose herself. When she reached a point of reason, she reached out, careful to find skin on his arm that wasn't damaged, and stroked his shoulder. "Jayne, it's okay. You're safe."

Jayne's eyes looked about wildly. "Don't worry, 'Nara, I got a plan. There's a Reaver door in the house. In the front room. Dead girl laying on top of it. I know ya' don't like touchin' dead people, but ya' gotta' drag her off it. Womenfolk's inside. They's gonna' fuss 'bout having ya', but don't pay 'em no mind. There's room. Mal says they's good people. Is there a knife, 'Nara? I gotta' cut these laces 'fore the Reavers get here. I deserve a fair chance at a fight."

"Shhhhh! Jayne, you're safe. Reaver's are gone. You're in the clinic now. No Reavers."

Breathing hard, he furrowed his brows and studied her for a moment, confusion slowing draining from his face. "Mal was here. He said the same thing."

She nodded, her warm face breaking into a smile. "Yes. He talked to you yesterday. He sent me here to keep watch over you while they transported folks to the other colony."

"They comin' back, right?"

"Yes, they are. We're not leaving you, Jayne."

"Untie me, 'Nara. I can't…be held down like this. It's not right to cage a man like that." The distressed look on his face was a revelation to Inara. She never knew she could feel empathy for this man.

She leaned over and looked into his eyes. "Listen Jayne, do you really think Mal would let me stay with you if he thought the Reavers were on their way right now?"

He searched her chocolate brown eyes for a moment and then his brow wrinkled. "Are ya' saying that he left ya' 'cause he don't care for ya' no more. I gotta' tell you that it seems unlikely to me. He just wants ya' to stop your whoring is all."

She stared at him for a moment as if paralyzed. Then she collapsed, dropping her face onto his blanket, muffled sounds erupting from her mouth.

He lifted his head slowly and looked at her in full puzzlement. Unable to access his limbs, he cleared his throat and said, "Uh, there, there, 'Nara. Nothing to fret about. Us mens is fickle creatures. Iffn' you want, I'd be happy to toss him around a bit just as soon as I get back to fightin' shape."

She lifted her head and looked at him, her eyes glistenin' with tears. Her mouth trembled a bit, but then she gained control. "How is it possible that I have never before appreciated your particular take on life?"

Confusion continued to reign on his features. "Don't know really."

She took a deep breath and stood up; the sounds escaping her mouth resembled giggles more than any sobbing he'd ever encountered. "Jayne, let me assure you that Mal left me here as proof that he will come back for you. He doesn't leave behind crew. You know that."

"I weren't actin' particularly crew like the other day."

Her laughter finally contained, she sighed and said. "Well, you did make a choice, Jayne. And he does ask a lot of his people. There's no doubt about it. But when you had a chance to see what was happening to people, you made the right decision."

"Yer talking all circly like."

She nodded. "What I'm telling you is that you saw what was happening, and you went down and fought for people you cared about."

He screwed up his face and looked away. "Twas nothin' noble about it, 'Nara. Just didn't want to get saddled with folks who don't know nothin' about proper thieving."

She smiled. "Until now, that's what I believed you really thought."

He frowned. "Don't make it all complexified. It's just good economics is all."

"Of course, Jayne. It all makes sense now."

"Happy to clear that up for ya'." His eyes traveled around the room and settled on the nurses at the desk on the other end of the room. "'Nara, could you talk to those girls? Ever'time I open my eyes, they come chargin' at me with a sleep needle. Can't hardly get a word out 'fore I'm back to droolin' in my dreams again. I can't be all doped up like a fiend iffn' I want to get back on my feet. Reavers is bound to come back, and I can't hardly lift my head. It's a regular injustice. 'Sides, I don't ever get to eat nothin' 'round here. I'm hungry as a bear, and all's I got is this medical water pumping up my veins. Not a proper diet for a fightin' man."

She looked back at the nurses who watched them warily from a distance. "You make a good point, Jayne. I'll see what I can do to get you a good meal, and I'll tell them they have to hold off on sedation until you ask for it."

He nodded and smiled. "'Preciate it, 'Nara. I always said that whores is some of my favorite people."

She closed her eyes, and dropped her face into her hands.

……………………………………………………………………………………

Despite Inara's efforts, they kept him sedated a majority of the time, but it weren't 'cause they didn't try to wean him off. It was just that anytime the fog cleared for him, he would start pulling on the restraints. The final straw was when he got a hand free and managed to topple the bed over, trapping himself underneath. The howling alone sent several townsfolk into Reaver cellars and the nurses got so scared they debated shooting him.

Mal limped in the next afternoon and supervised the transfer back to Serenity. Of course, they were careful to poke him full of sleep before they loosened even one restraint strap. There was much discussion once they got him on ship as to where to put him. No way they could get him down to his bunk in any kind of good shape, and Simon didn't have time to run between him and Zoe. 'Sides, Jayne was a nervous, ornery sleeper, and Mal had a few too many memories of dropping down into Jayne's bunk to find Vera inches away from his face. Jayne took waking up real personal like.

They finally settled on making a bed for him in the galley. Simon would have easy access to him, and it was public enough so that crew didn't feel compelled to write a last letter to their ma before going in. No one asked Jayne, but they figured he wouldn't bristle at any plan that put him arm's reach of food. There was an upside to saving farmers. Galley had more fresh fruits and vegetables now than it had held in years. There was even a hog all cut up and stored in the locker. Jayne snored like a diesel engine the first day, never waking even when Kaylee baked an apple pie. All of them tiptoed around him, happy to have him resting all still like.

Kaylee stayed in the galley after dinner and watched him for awhile, his chest rising slow and regular, just like it used to when he catnapped before dinner. Angry red and purple swollen welts crusted with bite marks peppered his body. Reaver bites were dirty, but most folks never lived long enough to deal with the infection. They was healing, but it was a slow process, and definitely the biggest source of his discomfort. They had regenerated a kidney for him, and his knee was trussed up in plaster like in the old days from Earth That Was. Seems this town was holding onto holding onto antique ideas. She shuddered when she imagined what he'd gone through. River and Mal had pieced it all together as best they could, but it was still more than they could fathom thinking that the big, soulless merc had pulled Zoe inside to safety and then went back outside with all his injuries to tangle with Reavers.

Jayne woke the first night, breathing like a locomotive. Whatever they was giving him, the dreams was too vivid. Ever'time he closed his eyes it was nothing but teeth, blood, and the putrid breath of demons ever'where he looked. He was thinking on that sleep needle in a much friendlier way now.

He noticed his hands wasn't tied down, and he tried to lift himself, but ever' muscle erupted in pain. He remembered lying trapped under the clinic bed while nurses had sober discussions about putting him outa' his misery, and so he stopped squirming. Nothin' like the medical profession for scarin' ya' almost as bad as Reavers.

He lay still in the dark and there were nothin' but deep achin' over almost ever' part of his body. He closed his eyes and groaned. He felt trapped. In sleep, he was hostage to nightmares. Awake, his body was a slow fire. He was beginnin' to wish the demon devils had finished the job they started.

That very moment, the soft sounds of barefeet could be heard nearby and his body tensed. Light flooded the room, and he screwed his face up. He opened his eyes to find River Tam peering down at him. She frowned. "Your dreams are like a brass band. Bang! Bang! Bang! In my head!" He started to say something but she was gone again. A few minutes later, she returned dragging a sleepy eyed Simon Tam along behind her. She pushed him at Jayne. "Simon, fix the Reaver Hunter now or your sister's brain will find new ways to self destruct."

Simon turned to Jayne. "How are you feeling?"

River punched Simon in the arm. "He brought Reavers on board. They're in his head, drooling and snapping and biting. I can't control the fights in my dreams. Point is that we're not getting any sleep. Startin' to understand why the nurses were goin' shoot him."

Simon screwed up his face at her. "They were going to what?"

She rolled her eyes. "They was just thinking about it is all."

Jayne lifted his head and scowled. "I've had it up to here with all this killin' Jayne talk. Either do it or leave me the hell alone 'bout it."

Simon put his hands on his hips and considered him. "I suppose I could give you more sleep medication."

Jayne squeezed his eyes shut. "Naw, Doc, no more o' that. It just traps me in the bad dreams. 'Sides I need my wits about me now. Gotta' start getting' better."

"Yeah, but if you stay awake, it means a lot of pain. Those bites are infected. It will be at least a week before you can get up with any sense of comfort."

River sat down on the edge of his bed and sighed. "Big man, it will be awhile, but the stars will shine for you again."

Jayne squinted at her. "Huh?"

She turned to her brother. "He wants to thank me for saving him, but he ain't sure he's glad yet about being alive. Worries that the Reavers will never leave him. Worries that living any kind of real life ain't possible now."

Simon looked nervously from the girl to the wounded merc. "She shouldn't read you like that. I'll talk to her. She wasn't thinking."

"He doesn't know a single person ever survived a Reaver attack that didn't go plum crazy and need to be put down. He wonders how soon 'fore the captain's goin' to have to do that to him. Captain wonders the same thing."

"River!"

Jayne pulled himself to a sitting position. "Get her outa' here before I show her just what plum crazy looks like."

Simon took a step forward before thinking better of it. "You need to stay still, your body's been deeply traumatized."

The muscles in Jayne's neck bulged, his lungs struggling from the effort of exertion. "Get out! And take that little mind thief with ya'. No telling what a crazy piece of chewed up Reaver bait'll do iffn' he gets pushed hard enough."

River opened her mouth to say more, but Simon grabbed her arm and jerked her not too gently toward the door. Breathing hard, Jayne waited until they were out the door before easing his beaten body back onto the bed.

…………………………………………………………………………………….

"Captain!" She hissed from the stairs to his bunk. "Wake up, Captain!"

Mal rolled over and out of bed, grabbing a shirt and pants before he ran smack into his ship's mechanic. "Kaylee! What're doing down here?"

She cocked her head as he scrambled away from her, finding some privacy behind a chair in the corner. "Came to get ya'. We got a problem."

"We gotta' comm for that. Ever think to use it?" He growled as he forced legs into his pants.

"Not a ship wide problem, Captain. It's a Jayne problem."

Mal stopped and looked at her, the tails on one side of his shirt left untucked. "What did he do?"

"He disappeared, Captain. He's not in the galley no more. Didn't think he could get into his bunk. Was gonna' check, but I thought it best to bring ya' along."

Mal glared at her and reached for his sidearm. He brushed past her and up the ladder. By the time, she had scrambled up after him, he was bypassing the lock to Jayne's bunk. He looked down the hole. "Jayne! Jayne! Are ya' down there?"

He heard nothing. He looked up at Kaylee, but she couldn't no much more than shrug. "All right, Kaylee, I'm going down. You hear one shot and you sound shipwide alarm. _Dong Ma?_"

She nodded, eyes wide. Slowly, he stepped onto the rungs of the ladder. Waking up Jayne was foolhardy thing to do under the best of circumstances. Jayne post- Reavers, injured or not, was a completely unknown quantity. He kept up chatter in the hopes it would ease the big merc. "All right, I'm coming down, Jayne. Better not have a girl down here. 'Member last time that happened. Ha! Ha! Ha! That was a mess alright. She stole your wages and got off the boat with 'em too. "Member that look on yer face too." Mal stopped and frowned. "Uh, maybe it's not so good reminding you of that particular event. Guess I'm thinking we'd laugh about that one day. I suppose today is a little soon for that. Just words trippin' off my tongue at this point. Just sort of getting out without a lot of thought, those damn words. Not going to pay attention to those _go se _words of mine now, are we Jayne?"

Mal had eased down far enough so he could see the whole of Jayne's bunk. It was neat as it always was. His mercenary had always been dangerous, ornery, and tidy; the last being one of his best qualities, for sure. Nobody could put a shine to the cargo bay like Jayne could on a slow day with nothing else on his plate. He scanned the sparse quarters, and was surprised to find that them empty. If the man wasn't in the galley, there were only so many places he could go, and none o' them was comfortable for an injured man. He scrambled back up the ladder and shook his head at Kaylee. Her sweet face looked highly distressed.

His hand brushed over his sidearm as he motioned for her to follow. It had been gnawing at him for days already. He was obliged to Jayne, and couldn't think but to take him back on the ship, but the man had been exposed up close and personal to the devil demons, and there wasn't many who could survive that and not be drooling crazy eyed in his soup.

Fact was that Mal didn't know o' one person who was ever regular like again after surviving a mess of Reaver bites. Reavers couldn't have picked a worse person to turn crazy. Man was a walking 'Caution' sign on his best days. Mal had been pushing away thoughts for days that maybe he would have to put the big man down iffn' he got out of control. Didn't seem like there was much in the way of solutions when the crazies took over a person; probably turn Jayne into some kind of half Reaver man. It ate at him. Though he'd probably never tell a livin' soul, he had a spot for the big, ornery cuss. When Jayne was happy and watching yer back, there weren't a better merc in the whole sky. And in spite of his numerous bad points, there was a sweetness that showed through every now and then; always made Mal remember that Jayne was Mrs. Cobb's precious baby boy.

Together, they went through the galley again, but found nothing. They stopped at sick bay and Mal lingered at the window, watching his first mate breathe quiet, still sleeping ever since that Reaver stuck her right below her shoulder. Doc said her body needed a few more days of the quiet for healing, and then he'd wake her. Mal worried in his gut that the time would come, and her eyes would stay shut. It was a misery he didn't think he could recover from, and so he pushed it to the back of his head where it could keep company with his worries about puttin' down Jayne.

Kaylee went down to check the engine room and Mal went into the cargo bay. It was quiet down there, cargo pushed about haphazard like; what with the all transportin' of folks and such. Iffn' Jayne saw this, he'd 'bout have a fit. Mal couldn't imagine Jayne bein' in here with all his injuries. He turned to leave, figuring he'd check the cockpit, when he saw a trail of material stickin' out where the walk turned to the left. It was sheer stuff; not something Jayne would be draggin' around. Reminded him more of Inara. He followed the material, and looked around the corner to see River Tam sittin' on the walk, her knees drawn up to her chin. "Hey lil' Albatross, whatcha' doin' up at this hour."

She looked up at him, her eyes teary. "It's my fault. I stole his secrets; played fast and loose with his fears. Not fair to him, but I was frustrated at how his nightmares was messin' with my brain; givin' me headaches and indigestion and such."

He knelt beside her. "You know where Jayne is?"

She pointed a finger at a storage locker at the end of the walk. Up above the locker were storage shelves. Mal stopped when he saw Vera peering out of the top shelf. He walked slowly toward the shelf. A rustling behind him signaled that River was following him. He turned to frown at her, but her only response was to frown back and continue to follow.

"Jayne, what're you doing?"

There was no reply, but as Mal got closer he could see streaks of red on the storage locker where Jayne had climbed up and over.

"Jayne, nobody's gonna' hurt you. I promise."

Vera turned slowly until it was pointin' straight at Mal. Mal turned to River. "What'd you say to him?"

She let her ropy locks fall over her face. "Read him, I did. Told him I knew he was thinkin' about crazy Reaver fever and how he might have to be put down. Told him you was thinkin' about it too."

Mal let out a deep breath. "Well, ya' just had to get that off yer chest, didn't ya? You better stay here. My guess he ain't ready for any more of yer illuminatin' conversations."

"I told him too much. Wanted him to know it hurt me that he brought Reaver dreams onto the ship."

"Ya' scared him, and there ain't no call for that, girl. Ain't no Reavers here. Jayne's been through a lot, and he backed us right when we needed him. We gotta' give him a chance."

"Just like me. Ya' gave me plenty of chances when I turned into killer woman. Wanted to be a new woman, but it turns out I'm still actin' like a little girl."

"We'll talk about that later. Right now, you gotta' give me room to talk ta' him so I'm goin' need ya' to git."

She nodded solemnly and ran away, her barefeet padding on the metal walk. Mal turned back to the storage shelves. "I'm not leavin', Jayne. I ain't gonna' do nothin' to ya'. That's a promise and ya' know my promise's solid as Alliance coin."

A hoarse, gravelly voice sounded. "Alliance coin ain't nothing to brag about. I'd melt 'em down for bullets 'fore I'd buy half a whore with 'em."

Mal gave a mirthless chuckle and took a step forward.

A growl sounded. "That's good enough, Mal. We can hear each other just fine from here."

"Don't have clue one how you got all the way up there sick as ya' are."

Jayne grunted. "I've had better mornings."

"I know the doc would really like a look at ya'."

"Naw, Mal. First, we gotta' clear up this confusion 'bout putting me down. Ain't no one goin' put me down without my say so."

"It was a thought, Jayne, but only iffn' you get the Reaver fever and start droolin' on folks and wantin' to snack on 'em."

There was a long silence. "Iffn' I get like that, I would….want you to put me down. Ain't right to live like that; chewin' on your neighbors and such, but I ain't like that yet, and there's no call to be plannin' exit strategies."

"Yer right, Jayne. Gettin' ahead of myself; always been a fault o' mine."

"Hell, maybe I ain't goin' to go bonkers. Ever think o' that?"

Mal sighed. "You do have a unique mind, Jayne. Anything that don't make sense to ya', ya' just block outa' yer mind. Don't like to crowd it with complex facts and such. Guess I always viewed it as something of a hindrance, but now I'm thinking that this might just be o' service to you."

"Exactly, Mal. My mind's a discriminatin' sort. Might be that it won't take hold of Reaver Fever."

"Always a chance, Jayne."

"Can't just be runnin' around shootin' folks first sign they's cranky, ya' know. It ain't right. I used ta' do it, and I lost a lot o' friends that way."

"I can see that I best control my trigger happy notions."

"The dreams are bad, Mal. I can't get them pictures outa' my head."

Ya' want that the doc get ya' another sleepy needle?"

"Can't get better that way. What if Reavers come? 'Sides you ain't got no call for a sleepy merc."

"Reavers ain't comin'. Goin' to take us outa' this space. Goin' back to Persephone for a few weeks."

"No foolin'?"

"Need to make coin, Jayne. Ain't nothin' out here but farmers and Reavers."

"I ain't goin' be ready right away."

"S'okay. Zoe's not either. We'll take small jobs, nothin' fancy. I don't ditch crew just 'cause they're laid up a bit. Ya' goin' come out now?"

"Naw. I hurt somethin' powerful right now. Can't help ya' git me outa' here. Better get Doc to poke me with a needle right here. Be ready to move in a day or two."

"Ya' goin' to give me Vera? Ain't nobody comin' near ya' 'til you do that."

From the shadows of the shelf, Mal saw a beefy arm push Vera gently onto the storage locker. He stepped forward. "Now ya' ain't afeared I'm goin' to shoot ya' none?"

A faint chuckle rumbled from the shadows. "I weren't afeared of ya', Mal. Ya' never shoot nobody near soon enough for my taste. I'm up here 'cause I figured the little witch would twist my neck iffn' I sent her 'nother Reaver dream."

Mal snorted as he pulled Vera off the locker. "Let me go git the doc."

He started back down the walkway when Jayne stopped him. "Mal, promise me that ya'll be ready when the time comes."

Mal didn't turn to face him. He took a deep breath. "Time ain't goin' come, Jayne. Yer too ornery to let those Reavers git your mind." Then he hurried away 'fore Jayne could press him any further.

……………………………………………………………………………..

TBC

_Translations_

Wah de tyen, ah Dear God in heaven!

Hundan Bastard or Jerk

Fei Fei Baboon

Ta muh dah Fuck me blind!

Go se Crap or shit

Ni men dou idiot

Dong ma understand

Yu bun duh Stupid


	3. Chapter 3

These characters are the property of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy, Inc.

A/N: It's been awhile since an update. I have been struggling with where this is going. I think I have finally settled on a direction. There will be a fourth chapter sometime this week and nothing more. I will be officially done with The Reaver Hunter. Thanks to those of you who reviewed. It feels good to know someone is enjoying your work.

Sheila

**The Reaver Hunter**

**Chapter 3**

She sat on a storage container and watched him pace. He'd been fussing for most of the last hour, and she would've liked to share his energy, put in her own two cents, but he wasn't entertaining any of those type notions from her. If she was going to be out of sickbay, she was going to have to stay quiet; he wasn't going to tolerate anything less.

This was an irritant for Zoe. She was not an invalid person; never had been. His fussing worked on a nerve, and it was all she could do to keep her temper even. It wasn't sweet that he went on like this; nothing of the sort, in fact. He couldn't take care of her; she knew this and it bugged her that he didn't. She was on her own now; her husband dead and a seed growing in her gut such that she already had to pop the bottom button on her vest. There wasn't nothing that the captain could do to make it different, and she wished to hell he'd stop looking at her like she was a little sister in pigtails. As if he caught her last thought, he turned and strode toward her. "It's good money, Zoe, and God knows we need some of that 'bout now."

"Good point, Sir. Still don't understand what's standing in the way of this good money."

He threw his arms up. "I got no crew! You can't go seeing as you got a bun in the oven, and Jayne's as crazy as a miner on pay day. River's too unpredictable; never sure if she's going to save the day or drift away down the street shopping windows and singing songs. Kaylee couldn't intimidate a donut, and Inara…well, she's too busy whoring to take up thieving. And don't even bring up the doc, he's useless for ever'thing cceptin' doctoring."

Zoe sighed. "I'm pregnant not diseased, Sir. I most certainly can do my job."

He pointed a finger at her. "You're recovering! Ain't pushing it neither. Doc said. Wash would have my head iffn' I let something happen to ya'."

She grimaced. "What is it with people thinking they can speak for my dead husband?"

Captain gave her a hard look so she quieted and looked out the open bay doors. "You think Jayne's goin' come around?"

Mal didn't answer. He just stood at the entrance and stared out at the people doing business at the docking station. Zoe decided not to push it. The Jayne situation was already in full deterioration by the time she woke up a week ago. The nightmares had taken full hold of him. The man couldn't sleep without a needle, and he'd taken to haunting the passageways day and night, eyes hollow and dark. Bites were fading and he had movement back, but his body was already growing lanky and slight; lack of eating and sleep turning him into a ghostly creature. The morning after Zoe woke, Kaylee surprised Jayne in the galley. He had her slammed up against the wall with Vera stabbing her in the throat before she could even scream. His eyes were unfocused and his breathing heavy, and she was sure she'd taken her last breath. She started crying, and it seemed to do something to him because she said he started shaking. He dropped precious Vera, and retreated to the cargo bay where Mal found him later, crouched again in the storage shelves. There wasn't no talking. Mal gave him a pillow and a blanket and left him. Jayne spent the rest of the trip in the cargo bay, pacing back and forth; howling nightmares into the ceiling when he couldn't keep his eyelids propped any longer.

The minute they hit dirtside, Jayne left the ship. That was five days ago. Mal scoured through the red light district every couple of days to check on him. He wasn't hard to find as he was generally clutching a bottle in one hand and a whore in the other. He would rock his head in Mal's direction and slur some manner of obscenity. Mal would nod, and then go looking for the madam to make sure Jayne had enough coin to stay in that state for another couple of days.

It was time to move on now, and Mal sent word for Jayne to return to ship. He'd been reluctant to do it, but unwilling not to. He wasn't sure iffn' the big merc had many days left in a lucid state, but he was feelin' beholdin' to him. Figured one of these days, he was goin' to have to take a weapon to him. The idea of it left an intolerable sadness in his gut. He didn't want to have to be the one to put him down, but it weighed worse on him the idea that he'd leave him, and then come back to hear 'bout how Jayne killed five men before they finally were able to down him.

He heard the rustling of expensive fabrics and turned to see Inara walking toward them. "How much longer are you going to wait for him?"

Mal shrugged and looked away.

"Not everything in this 'Verse is your responsibility, Mal."

He turned to glare at her. "So yer sayin' I oughta' leave him, is that it?"

"No, I'm sayin' that if he doesn't make it, it won't be because you didn't try. We can only do so much."

"He's the reason we're alive, 'Nara!"

"And you've done the same for him on many occasions. You can't save him. The Reavers are going to destroy him sure as if they were on the ship right now, and its burden on all of us to watch it. Mean as Jayne is, he does inspire an odd sort of affection in people."

"I ain't givin' up."

Zoe nodded. "Its code for us, 'Nara. Ya' don't give up on people who followed ya' in battle."

"Jayne didn't fight in any war."

She chuckled. "True, but the big oaf has gone on plenty of jobs and saved our necks on just as many. Having him 'round's made a big difference in the kind of jobs we take."

Inara looked Mal in the eyes. "This could get ugly."

"Already is," he growled, turning his head to the noise of squeaky wheels. A gang of six women was haulin' an old wheelbarrow up the ramp. In the barrow, sprawled with his arms and legs hangin' over the edge was the late, great Jayne Cobb.

A buxom blonde woman showing off her assets in a low cut blouse sashayed up the ramp and shook Mal's hand. "Nice to see ya', Mal."

He nodded. "You too, Glory. Thanks for bringin' him back."

"We did the best we could, but Jerry won't let us keep 'em anymore. Says he's bad for business what with his howlin' in the night and such. Plus roughnecks is pickin' fights with him. Figure they been waitin' for years to get a chance at the big lug, and he's finally lookin' fightable."

She looked back at Jayne for a long minute. "When ya' get back, iffn' he's still with ya', bring 'em over again. We'll give ya' a few days peace. Jerry owes us with what we put up with from him."

She turned and nodded at the girls. She was halfway down the ramp when she turned. "Kin ya' thank the doc again for comin' ever' day and checkin' on him? He brought the girls medicines and such for our own needs too."

Mal's brows raised. "Didn't know he was a visitin'."

She nodded. "Ever' day. Brought his lil' sister, name of Moonbrain, I think. Funny name that."

His eyes widened.

Glory chuckled. "The lil' Moonbrain girl came in alone one day after her brother left. Said she wanted to inquire as to a career in whoring. Thought it looked fun. Woulda' taken her too. A core girl whoring can make a lota' money for us, but Jayne saw her, and chased her out the door. Then he howled at us the rest of the damn day 'cause we talked to her.

"Wah de tyen, ah! When I get my hands on that girl, I'm gonna' tan her hide," Mal growled.

Zoe put up a hand. "Ah sir, first point of order: River is not a girl anymore. Second, I'm pretty sure she ain't goin' let ya' tan nothin'. Third, if there's any…reprimandin', you better let 'Nara and I handle it. I'm thinkin' its best we have a nice little girl talk with her."

Glory shook her head. "Ain't gotta' worry about it 'round here. Nobody's gonna' go near her after the fit he put up over it."

"Good to hear it, Glory."

She turned to Jayne lying limp in the wheelbarrow, the smell of cheap alcohol rising up from him. "I surely hope he comes outa' it. It'd be a real sadness to not see him drop outa' the sky ever' once and again. Take care of him, Mal. Don't hurt 'em unless there's no other choice."

Mal couldn't manage more than a curt nod as Glory gathered up her girls and disappeared into the crowd milling about the docking bay. Inara stepped up beside him. "They really care about him, don't they?"

Mal grinned. 'Yeah, they're all rim folk. They understand each other. No worries 'bout manners. Only rules is that ya' gotta' bark loud, drink hard, and fight dirty. Jayne and his whores get along like a house afire. Not a bad way to live, ya' know."

Inara gave him a long look before picking up her flowing brocade skirt and walking away.

……………………………………………………………………….

The two of them sat alone in the galley. Everyone else had eaten hours ago. Mal waited until Jayne sobered up enough get there under his own steam. They ate silently across from one another and feasted on fried protein cakes and a yogurt soup 'Nara made. It was only after Jayne ate everything he could reach that he looked up. "Iffn' one morning I don't wake up, I'll understand."

Mal snorted. "That's mighty kind of you, Jayne."

"Sorry, I have to put it on ya'. I just ain't cut out for doin' myself in. Always think tomorrow might just be a little better."

"Ain't no need to talk like that. It's been almost a month since ya' got ate and ya' haven't killed one soul."

"Mostly 'cause I spent it drunk or tied to a bed. Dreams is getting' crazier ever' night," Jayne said as he pushed away his plate.

"Doc says he never heard of another Reaver survivor lasting this long. Should tell ya' something."

"Year ago, Doc thought Reavers was just Boogeyman stories. He don't know nothin' about survivin' Reavers."

"Ya' goin' to be okay sleeping out in the cargo bay?"

Jayne shrugged. "Best thin' for ever'one. 'Sides, I ain't goin' get a wink in my bunk iffn' Moonbrain thinks I put Reavers in her dreams again."

………………………………………………………………………………….

It was only a few hours later that the howlin' started. Cargo doors were soundproof for everyone but the fragile psyche of the reader who sat up stiff in her bed, grabbing at her ears and rocking. His dreams held her rigid until his terror subsided. It was only then she could relax her muscles. She felt no respite though, hunched over, breathing hard. She just curled up around her pillow and waited, eyes wide open. She knew the minute he fell asleep again, it would start all over.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

"It's a simple pick up, people. We go in, get the cargo, and take it back to Badger."

Jayne winced. "Its bad luck whenever yer using the word simple. Ya' know that. Especially, 'cause simple ain't got no business within a hundred yards of ya', Mal. You and simple ain't friends. In fact, simple takes offense at the idea of ya' using it all free and easy like ya' do, and calls in its ol' buddy, disaster, to put ya' in yer place."

Heads turned in his direction. Jayne had become increasingly loquacious in the few days since they'd been in the sky. His logic twisted this way and that, and half the time it sounded like he was sleepin' when he said it. The doc said that lack of sleep would inevitably lead to psychosis, and it left them all more than a little on edge.

Zoe ventured in. "A truer thing you never said, Jayne."

He nodded solemnly and sat back against the wall.

Mal sighed. "Can we continue? All we gotta' do is pick up crates and fly outa' there. It's as…uncomplexified as it gets." He threw a look in Jayne's direction hoping the big man wouldn't go off philosophizing again, but Jayne just sat back with his eyes closed.

Zoe cocked her head. "Then why we doing it instead of Maybelle shipping?"

"Okay, now that makes it so…uncomplexified. Its cargo the Alliance shouldn't be seeing is all. Nothing sinister."

"It ain't guns, right? Sir, I just need ya' to assure me it ain't guns."

Mal scowled. "We don't run guns. You know that, Zoe."

The big sleepy voice interrupted again. "Speakin' of which, I was thinkin' to ask ya' if I could visit Vera today. Need to know she's getting' proper care. I hate to say it, but how ya' handle yer own weapons is nothin' short of neglect, Mal, and I was thinkin' that maybe she and the girls could go stay with Zoe a few days. Zoe ain't so hard on her armaments." He looked at Zoe for support, and she gave him a reluctant nod.

Mal rolled his eyes. "Okay, people, do ya' think we could stay on task for just a few minutes?"

River climbed out from under the table and stretched out like a cat after a nap. Jayne scowled when he saw her and edged closer to the wall. She turned and smiled at Mal. "Just waking up, Captain. Hard to get a good night's sleep 'round here." She shot a look at Jayne before continuing. "You're goin' to need me on this job. I can feel it. You only know half as much 'bout the pick up as you oughta'."

"Actually River woman, it ain't nothin' more than a simple—"

Jayne pounded the table. "Ain't no such thing 'round ya', Mal! How many times I gotta' tell ya'. Yer goin' to make simple upset with ya' again."

River cocked her head at Mal. "The big man says it well. I'm comin' along with you."

……………………………………………………………………….

Zoe and Mal walked behind the big man to the pick up site. He had Vera in his arms and walked with some of the swagger they'd remembered so well. River walked solemnly beside him although he kept scowling at her, clearly hoping she'd take the hint and leave him alone.

Zoe leaned toward Mal. "Ya' think yer goin' to get Vera back when this is all over."

Mal sighed. "He hasn't fussed much at all 'bout losing her.

She shook her head. "I wouldn't believe it, not in a million years."

"Man's definitely actin' like he don't got all the cheese on his crackers."

They saw Jayne looking at River with a frown, and then finally leaning over and sayin' something to her. She looked at him, nodded, and ran off.

Mal and Zoe trotted up to him. "What'd ya' say to my genius?"

Jayne looked at them outa' the corner of his eye. "Tole her to stay outa' sight for right now. Give us the element of surprise."

"Not bad, Jayne," Zoe concluded, nodding at Mal.

Mal started striding harder, pulling ahead of them mumbling to himself about how he was the planmaker in the bunch and nobody oughta' be forgettin' that.

They found the sellers behind the next bluff standing next to a pile of crates. Mal groaned when they got closer. He knew these idiots. None of 'em ever worked an honest day in their lives, and there weren't a doubt in the world that they was gonna start now.

The pudgy one walked toward them, a big grin showcasing the gaps in his teeth. "Well, iffn' it ain't Malcolm Reynolds. Had no idear Badger would send ya' out on a dry run such as this."

Mal smirked. "I didn't know that our sellers was scrappin' the bottom of the barrel as far as middle men was concerned. Yer lookin' just as seedy as ever, Sebastian."

The grin shrunk, but the man still managed a chuckle. "Always like ya' to get down to business." He swept his arm back. "There's yer cargo."

Mal motioned to Zoe and the two of them knelt to examine the manifest on the crates. Sebastian walked toward Jayne. "Surprised to see ya', Cobb. I been hearin' that ya' got et."

Jayne's face was stone, only his eyes moving to follow the man. "Ain't gotta' believe ever'thin' ya' hear, ya' know."

One of Sebastian's men stepped forward. "I heard tell that yer Reaver crazy now, and they's just lookin' for the right moment to put ya' outa' yer misery."

Jayne grunted, shifting Vera across his chest. "Ya' wanna' find out, little man?"

Another man next to a mule burst out in giggles. "They goin' put ya' down like a rabid dog. Probably leave ya' in the dirt whilst peoples walk 'round ya' too. Would pay to see that, I'm tellin' ya'. Ya' been actin' big too many years, Cobb."

Mal stood up before Jayne could react. He walked over to Sebastian. "We're short two crates."

The man threw his arms up. "Can't be. This is all there is."

Mal turned his head to the mule they was standin' in front of. "I'd like to see what's under those blankets, Seb. It'd be like ya' to skim a little of the top. Reasonable thing to do, really. We all think 'bout it."

The men closed ranks in front of the mule and Sebastian grinned. "Ain't like that, Mal. Ya' got yer cargo, and now its time for ya' to leave. Were goin' to have ya' sit down for some grog, but it ain't feelin' friendly no more."

"Ain't leavin' without the entire manifest, Seb. Ain't no two ways 'bout it."

Jayne let Vera drop into his right palm, and then he swung it at Sebastian.

Sebastian scowled. "Ain't no call to get hostile. I'd be open to negotiations."

"Negotiatin' my front teeth, Seb! Ain't yer cargo to negotiate none."

The man stepped back into his men. There was four of them, and it didn't seem all that bad o' ratio 'specially with Jayne already trainin' Vera into their midst, but Mal knew there had to be more at work here; Seb were dumb, but he weren't no idiot.

Zoe had her weapon out and she stepped back to scan the horizon. Jayne's body tensed.

Seb didn't lose his smile. "Ya'll been actin' uppity too long. Ya' think yer better than the rest of us, Mal. Always have. Funny that: ya' got the same dirt under yer nails as any o' us."

Mal sneered. "So what is this, Seb? Yer bunched up 'cause we ain't animals like ya'll."

"Just the kinda' attitude I were referrin' to. Actin' like yer smugglin's got some higher ground than the rest o' us."

Mal rolled his eyes. "Ya' got yer feelins' hurt, Seb. I had no idea."

Behind him guns cocked, and he whirled around to find men emerging from the brush; a gun trained on each of 'em.

"Drop yer weapons, Mal."

Mal slowly put down his pistol, Zoe doin' likewise. Only Jayne didn't move; he just aimed straight at Sebastian's head, not turning once to acknowledge the gun at his back. 

Mal felt something grow in the pit of his belly. "Jayne, put the gun down like a good merc. We ain't on no suicide run."

Jayne growled but didn't move. The man pointing a gun at him said, "Seb, should I shoot? Got a clear shot."

Jayne grinned at Sebastian. "Yer sure that boy's got the right shot 'cause he's only gonna' get one before I drill ya' betwixt yer eyes and ya' know I ain't gonna' miss. He's gonna' have to drop me in one shot. Think he can do it?"

Sebastian shifted uncomfortably. "Let's talk."

Jayne grinned. "We's all talked out." Still staring at Seb, he shouted at the man behind him. "Ya' gonna' shoot or ya' just gonna' stand there like a lil' boy in his Sunday clothes."

"Jayne," Mal said slowly. "Ain't nothin' worth a bullet right now."

"Shoot me, boy!" Jayne yelled, his face hard and starin' at Seb, Vera tremblin' slightly in his arms.

The man extended his gun and squinted at his target.

"Jayne!" Mal yelled. "Put the gun down. Now, Jayne! It's an order!"

Jayne grinned a bit. "Ya' been a good captain, Mal. I always thought that." Then he directed one last comment to his still unseen assassin. "Aim it good, boy. It's gonna' take most o' yer clip to put me on the ground."

Mal started toward him, but gunfire from behind sounded at his feet pushing him back toward Zoe.

"I got the shot, Seb," the man shouted.

Sebastian had turned a ghostly shade of pale. "I think there's still talkin' to be done."

"Done talking!" Jayne was lookin' wild, sweat appearin' at his brow.

Then there was a flash of movement, and Jayne braced himself, but felt nothin' plowing into his flesh. Instead, it were soundin' like his assassin were getting' the brunt of it. He turned his head to see River Tam put a heel to his neck. The sick sound of breakin' bone was heard and the man slumped to the ground. Jayne set his teeth and opened up Vera without even looking. When he turned his head, three of the four of them was on the ground. Only one of 'em was showing any signs of movement. The fourth one backed into the mule, a look of terror on his face. Behind him the two men training guns on Mal and Zoe had disappeared as had River.

Jayne pointed Vera straight at the tremblin' fool at the mule. "Ya' git our cargo on the ground in the next two minutes, and I'll think 'bout letting ya' live."

Mal trotted up and checked the men on the ground. The last one had finally stopped squirmin'. River reappeared, a serene look on her face, lookin' everythin' like a regular girl, but they all knew that their regular girl had probably just killed every man left in Sebastian's posse. She walked over to Jayne and cocked her head at him. He narrowed his eyes at her. "Gorram it, Girl! Ya' 'member how I was talkin' 'bout simple, and how Mal doesn't know the first thing."

She nodded.

He grunted. "Well, yer on my list now too. Ya' see, River, what were happenin' just now were simple. Do ya' understand? It was a good situation for all involved; an opportunity for me to die like a man, no more Reaver dreams for ya', and Mal don't have to worry no more 'bout puttin' me down. It were simple for ever'one, and then ya' got involved, and now we're back to an all complexified situation again."

"Ya' never used my name before."

"Don't get used to it," he growled before swingin' Vera over his shoulder and walking off into the brush. She turned to Mal, but he shook his head and motioned for her to stay put. He went over to stand next to her, and they both watched Jayne disappear into the tall grass.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

24

Disclaimer: These characters are the property of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy, Inc.

A/N: This blasted thing is finished! I am glad though I liked writing it. I really hope you like it. Trying to think what and where I'll do my next story. If you like it, please let me know. I need some encouragement as to what to do next. Thanks for readin'.

Sheila

Reaver Hunter

Chapter 4

……………………………………………………………………………………..

He was awake and sweatin' from his latest howlin' dream when he heard the door at the top of the bay open. He tensed, raising himself on his elbows. Mal was finally goin' to do what needed to be done, and Jayne found an odd reluctance growing in his gut. It weren't that he wanted to live; God knows life weren't nothin' more than a holy mess for him right now. It was the survivor in him. He weren't built for dyin' easy; it went against every instinct in him. He could hear the footsteps lightly on the walk above him and he sat up. He weren't goin' to play dead neither. He would face Mal when he were shot; it would be a manly way to go.

The footsteps got softer and he waited. He found himself wishing he'd raided the pantry earlier like he'd thought on doin'; no harm in breakin' a few rules when you was getting' shot anyways. It also hit him that maybe he should be wearin' a different shirt for his killin'. Probably goin' to get buried in it as there weren't no undertaker afoot. No harm in pullin' out his Sunday best. He scrambled around for the shirt that currently held that distinction, and quickly changed. Then he remembered his boots and figured a man oughta' die with his boots on. He reached for them, and worked frantically to lace them up. "Mal! Give me a minute, okay. I gotta' get my boots on. Ready for ya' in a bit."

A giggle sounded, startling Jayne. He was on his feet squinting into the dimness of the bay before a 1st shift. At first, he couldn't see nothin' on the walk. Then he spotted her sittin' on the walk in one of those thin dresses she favored, her bare legs swingin' in the air. It never occurred to him that Mal would send the moonbrain to it. That just didn't sit well with him at all.

"Don't come near me, little girl! This is not how I'm goin'." He growled up at her.

She laughed again. "Silly big man; ain't nobody goin' touch ya'. You oughta' know by now that Mal has no intention of shooting ya'. He never did. He's not cut out for that kind of killin'."

"He didn't send ya'?"

"Nope."

Jayne pulled his boats off and rooted around for his sleepin' shirt. "Then whatcha' doin' here?"

"You had another Reaver dream."

He sat on his bedroll and looked up at her. "I was kinda' hopin' you wouldn't notice."

"I feel every last one."

"So whatcha' want to do 'bout it?"

"I could kill ya'."

He shook his head emphatically. "Ain't dying by no lil' slip of a girl; don't care how many Reavers ya' killed. 'Sides, you had yer chance back at the drop and ya' didn't take it."

She shrugged. "Wasn't really an option anyhow. Simon would squawk. He doesn't like that the killin' comes so easy for me. He wonders sometimes if the Blue Hands took my soul along with my sanity. 'Sides, it wouldn't be no fun if there wasn't a man with a girl's name at the dinner table ever' night; no fun at all."

"Whatcha' after, Moonbrain?"

She swung her legs harder. "I liked it when ya' called me River."

"Fat chance of that ever happenin' again, what with ya' interruptin' my sleep and teasin' me 'bout my name an' all."

She picked up a thick book. "Brought ya' a book."

"Don't like books', too many words in 'em."

"Which is why I'm goin' to read it to you."

He frowned up at her. "Ain't interested."

Ignoring him, she held it up for him to see. "Found it on Persephone. It's an old classic from Earth That Was. It's an action story. There's sword fights and everything."

"That so?" Curiosity crept into his face.

"It's called The Three Muskeeters. It's full of adventures and fights and killin' and such."

Then he realized who he was talkin' to, and knew this just wouldn't do. "Don't think so. Have to get some rest. Some o' us got regular jobs to do. Can't just wile away the time with mindless pursuits, ya' know."

She flipped the front cover open. "I'm not payin' attention 'bout all that. Neither one o' us sleeps when the Reaver dreams come. Its decided. We're goin' to read this here story."

He glared up at her and she stuck her tongue out at him. Rolling his eyes, he fell back on his bedroll and waited. Wearing the smile of a victor, River turned to the first page.

………………………………………………………………………………………

"I still got questions for ya'," he demanded over a bowl of mush.

"Not my fault that you're such an idiot."

"It wasn't my idea to have ya' show up in the dark like ya' did. Ya' can't just leave a man hangin'."

"Well, there wasn't nothin' else to do in the middle of the night when we're both not sleepin'."

The heads around them popped up from the mush they was eatin'.

"Huh?" Mal ventured.

Ignoring him, Jayne glared at the girl. "Twasn't fair that ya' fell asleep 'fore I was done with ya'."

"_Wah de tyen, ah!"_ Simon exclaimed in horror.

She sighed. "The whole thing plum wore me out. Didn't realize it would be such a chore with questions at every turn."

"Chore! Iffn' anythin', I was the one havin' to hold back and mind my manners and be civil." He fisted a spoon at her. Kaylee's eyes got wide and she reached over to hold on to Simon's arm. Zoe frowned at Jayne.

Mal was on his feet. "Was reluctant to shoot ya' earlier, but I'm feelin' up to it now, _ya' yu bun duh hundan! _You wait here whilst I get my piece._" _Then he disappeared from the galley.

Jayne frowned after him in confusion. River looked at her brother, and saw a look of horror which is borne for one reason only. She giggled out loud. "Big man, they think that you and I had carnal relations last night."

He turned to her in confusion. "That means reading books out loud, right?"

She smirked. "Not even close."

It slowly dawned on him that they had notions of a much more personal nature. He screwed up his face. "I didn't touch her, ya' bunch o' _ni men dou_! We was readin' a book. I ain't after no moonbrain, scrawny, genius teen-age girl who'd tease a man 'bout his name as much as look at him. Not that she ain't purty, but…" He shook his head violently as if trying to lose an image, "Hell no!"

"Its therapy," River said. The story is a distraction from the nightmares. It calms the mind. It's a documented technique."

Simon's indignation had deflated considerably when Mal reappeared, gun in hand. Inara met him at the door. "Nothing happened. You don't need to shoot Jayne…right now."

Mal narrowed his eyes at Jayne. "What did ya' do? Did ya' lure her out to the cargo bay?"

Jayne snorted. "Ya', that's it. It's been my plan all along to get her alone in the cargo bay and force her to read old folktales ta me in the middle of the night. It's taken damn near a year ta set it up."

Zoe stepped forward. "Sir, it seems River was readin' him a nighttime story. Nothin' more. It's supposed to distract him from the nightmares."

Mal grimaced. "Whatever it was 'bout, its gotta stop now. No sneakin' into the cargo bay, Girl. Ya' hear me?"

Jayne's face clouded over. "No way, Mal. We's just gettin' started. Its 'bout these French mercs on ancient Earth That Was, and they fight for the sake of honor and other oddities. Hell, they'll fight o'er just 'bout anything. They's 'bout to go off to war that the king and cardinal's fightin' for no reason and they got servants to carry their weapons and cook 'em meals, and there's all these fancy rich girls yearnin' after 'em. Ya' can't cut us off now."

River nodded. "We slept three peaceful hours after that."

"We's sitting at different ends of the cargo bay, Mal, on my honor…or whatever. No foolin', and I don't got that buzzin' in my head like I got most mornin's after the Reaver dreams."

Mal winced. "This is the poster child of bad ideas."

Silent until this moment, Zoe stepped forward, her hand restin' unconsciously on her slightly raised belly. "Sir, let me take care o' this. Not much sleepin' at night myself. Might as well supervise these two hell cats."

Mal looked at Simon who shrugged and said, "Already, you have her on jobs thieving and killing. You don't seem to need my permission for that. Why not fully indoctrinate her in the ways of lowlife thuggery? And who better to teach her than Jayne Cobb?"

"S'right," Jayne nodded.

"Snobbery wears on ya' less becoming than you might imagine, Doc." Mal said with a frown.

Jayne furrowed his brow. "Don't fuss at him. It's the first nice thing he ever done said to me."

Mal rolled his eyes. "Okay, I'm assumin' that most of ya' got jobs to do, so scatter, why don't ya'." He fixed Jayne with a look that told him not to leave. The merc sat with a sullen look on his face waiting for the scolding he knew was coming.

Mal sat down, his back to Jayne, and began takin' apart his weapon for cleanin'. Jayne sighed and waited for his captain to speak.

"We're goin' have some more jobs comin'. In fact, I got an offer. Fanty and Minty got a job on Kathyville."

Jayne looked at the hands in his lap. "Kathy's in Reaver country."

Mal shrugged. "At the edge, I s'pose ya' could say."

"Still in that territory."

"Lots of jobs gonna' be near Reaver territory."

Jayne nodded slowly. "I know that.

"I can't help wonderin' if my merc's gonna' get all suicidal on me the next job we have."

Jayne didn't say anythin'.

"Can't have that, ya' know. Screws with the job. Need a merc who's focused on the job."

"What do ya' want, Mal?"

"Ya' survived, Jayne. Maybe, it's yer crazy, stubborn mind; I don't know, but ya' ain't dead and ya' ain't outa' yer mind. Don't know why. It's just the way it is."

"Not convinced o' none of that. People don't survive Reaver attacks. It just ain't done."

"Well, I ain't comin' to kill ya'. Not doin' it. Might kill ya' if ya' touch the girl, but I ain't touchin' ya' based on this Reaver business."

"I'm sufferin', Mal. My dreams is bad. Ya' can't deny it."

"But yer handlin' it. God knows how, but yer doin' it.

Jayne grimaced. "What do ya' want, Mal?"

"I want ya' to be like ya' used to be; selfish, boorish, mean, and dumb."

Jayne chuckled. "Ain't gotta' worry 'bout that none; ain't lost those quirks."

"I can't have ya' tryin' to get killed. It don't help us none. This is 'bout money not emotions. Ya' used to understand that."

Jayne shifted in his seat. "I understand 'bout money. Ain't gotta' explain that to me."

"Ain't goin' mess it up with yer Reaver craziness? Is ya' lookin' for 'nother opportunity to get knocked off?"

"Naw," Jayne drawled. "Not goin' ta do that again. Couldn't manage to get killed with 4 Seb's men trainin' guns on me and me just standing there as big a target as could be. It's gotta' be some kind of sign. Goin' refocus on the money aspect of the job."

"Good, that's what I need ta hear outa' my merc." Mal gave him a nod and patted him on the back as he walked out of the galley. Jayne sat there for awhile staring down at the table. He was findin' that it was getting' harder and harder to figure which was the lies and which was what he really felt.

………………………………………………………………………………….

"Bein' noble ain't worth a hill o' beans."

"Just sayin' that 'cause you don't know the first thing 'bout it."

"Shows how much ya' know. I know enough 'bout noble to not want nothin' to do with it."

"What is the two o' ya' caterwaulin' 'bout now?" Mal leaned over the table, glaring at his merc and his killer woman, both of whom responded with sullen looks.

"Sir, don't pay 'em no never mind. They're squawkin' 'bout the book is all."

"Ain't goin' let the two o' ya' read no more if ya' can't be civil 'bout it." Mal growled, reachin' for the ale the waitress set before him.

Jayne had already downed most of his, and was signaling the waitress for another. "Can't help it, Mal. Lil' crazy woman here don't know what she's talkin' 'bout."

River sipped at her ale and made a face at the taste. "Big man here thinks that nothin' ain't worth doin' if you don't get paid for it."

Zoe held back a smile. "Don't explain why ya' pushed me down a hole couple months back and took on Reavers by your lonesome."

Jayne frowned. "Nothin' personal, Zoe, but we ain't got the same earnin' power without ya'."

She snorted. "Just a matter of economics then?"

He shrugged. "People is generally lyin' 'bout their noble intentions. Always got to be somethin' in it for people. That's the truth." Then he nodded at Mal. "Don't completely explain our fearless leader here, but my theory on that is he's just crazy and don't care what he drags us into."

"Don't start philosophizing again; it don't suit ya' none." Mal muttered outa' the side of his mouth. Then he turned to his first mate. "Zoe, what time they say they meetin' us?"

"Should be here any minute, Sir." Restricted from alcohol, Zoe contented herself with the local cider.

River took a longer swig of the ale, swishin' it 'round her mouth and swallowed, a lazy smile growing on her lips. "Grog don't taste half bad."

Zoe arched a brow. "Tends to happen after ya've had a little. I swear, River woman, every day ya' sound more like a Rim girl than the day before."

River smiled. "What can I say? Civilization on Core planets just wasn't all that civilized. I like the honesty out here."

"Yer in a good mood, Lil' Witch," Mal remarked taking another ale from the barmaid.

"We've been sleepin' hours and hours ever' night. My only complaint 'bout Big Man is that he snores like a lion."

Mal narrowed his eyes at Jayne.

The big merc fixed River with a frown. "River, cut it out with that 'we' business. Ain't my fault that ya' fall asleep in the cargo bay…many, many feet away from me. Yer makin' it sound like…I don't know, but ever'time ya' bring it up, Mal looks like he wants to slice me."

Zoe leaned forward. "I can vouch for them, Sir. I'm there every night. My sleep's been gettin' better too."

"Yeah, and now that we're done with them Musketeers, she's moving onto a story 'bout this group o' fighters called The Last of the MO-hee-cans. Spear throwing and shootin' and all manner of treachery; we start tonight."

Mal winced at Zoe. "Ya' think Jayne is still needin' all this company at night and such?"

"Seems to be workin', Sir. Might be worth it to get through this next book and then talk about it."

Mal frowned at her, but said nothing more. A howl outa' Jayne sounded, and Mal jumped such that he almost ended up under the table. Panicked, he fumbled for his weapon watching Jayne as he bounded up from the table and rushed a small man in a long coat. That man had two larger men behind him who were similarly groping for weapons. Jayne picked up his target and swung him around. And rather than shouts of pain and terror, the man was laughing and patting Jayne on the back. Jayne squeezed him hard and then released him. The man dropped to the ground, his coat rumpled, a shit-eatin' grin on his face. He turned to his men, "Stand down! Stand down! This big ape is a friend o' mine."

Jayne roared and pounded him on the back such that the man doubled over. "Hell, shit, and damn, how long has it been?" He grabbed the scruff of the man's collar and wheeled him over to face Mal. "I've knowed his character since I's 11 years old. How 'bout that?"

Mal nodded slowly. "Glad to make his acquaintance, Jayne, but ya' gotta' let go o' him now. He's 'bout to pass out from all your greetin'."

"Oh!" Jayne released him and the man sank to his knees, putting a hand up to mollify his men. "It's okay, it's okay. I knew I were goin' ta take a beatin' the minute I seed his face."

Jayne reached over to help him out, then thought better o' it and sat back down in his chair. "Didn't rough ya' up too much, did I, Will?"

The man sank into the chair that Mal pulled up. "Nothin' that a couple o' rounds o' ale won't put right." He looked at Mal and offered a shaky limb. "I take it that you're Captain Malcolm Reynolds. I'm Will Thundermoon. I got your cargo."

Jayne nodded, taking note of Will's attire. "Who knew? Ya' never tell me nothin', Mal." He gave his captain a brief scowl and then turned back to his ol' friend. You's really lookin' up in this world. Fancy duds. Hired muscle. Able to hire the likes o' us to carry cargo all the way back to Persephone. Do ya' drink ale anymore or should we have 'em bring out the fancy teas and such?"

Will grinned. "Had a bit o' luck is all." He motioned to the barmaid who made a beeline in his direction. He pressed a couple of big coins in her hand. "Keep an eye on us, Darlin'. Don't let anybody's glass get dry. Ya' hear?" She nodded, her eyes lit up as she examined the coins, and she hurried off to get more ale.

Will narrowed his eyes at Jayne. "Like to say the same for ya', but ya' looked kinda' peaked actually and a little jagged, truth be told."

There was silence at the table for a moment, all eyes on Jayne. His fingers danced against his glass as he pondered his answer for a moment. Then he cleared his throat and said, "Yea' it were a tough one. Got bucked and dragged by the mule a couple o' months back. Tore up a lot o' hide before it could be stopped. Were touch and go for a bit, but I'm right as rain now as ya' can see."

The barmaid returned with a big earthen pitcher. River pushed her empty glass forward eagerly. Jayne saw this and pulled it back. "Yer crazy enough sober. I ain't in the mood to be dodgin' none o' them kicks o' yers."

She put her chin up at him. "Not the boss of me, Jayne. Ya' want me to stop readin' to ya'?"

"Mal!" Jayne turned to the captain.

Mal put up a hand. "Alright, enough already. River, he's right 'about this, but ya' is a woman like ya' keep remindin' us so how 'bout switchin' to Suzy Qs?"

She frowned in confusion. Zoe leaned over. "It's a combination of ale and cider; tastes kinda' sweet and a lot less lethal."

She shook her head. "A drink for babies, no doubt."

"Nope, not a'tall. I drink 'em all the time especially when these two are sousin' themselves up. Gotta' be somebody 'round still have the sense to git us outa' the bar alive."

River sighed and nodded at the barmaid who tried to suppress the annoyance on her face. It would mean double the runs to make sure the girl had her Suzy Q's. She turned and strode off.

…………………………………………………………………………………….

As the evening wore on, the stories grew bigger and the laughing got louder. Jayne was a tactile man and, with his inhibitions out to lunch, he was all over the place; slappin' backs and leanin' into folks. River discovered Suzy Qs packed enough punch and she was feelin' no pain herself.

At one point, Mal looked up from his ale to see Jayne leanin' into River, strokin' her hair real gentle like. "Jayne!" he roared and the man jumped back and looked at the captain, eyes wide. "Go take a walk, Jayne. There's some whores over that way."

Jayne frowned. "Just talkin' is all."

"Yer getting' touchy, sure as shit. Ya' can do all kinds o' feelin' over that way."

Jayne rolled his eyes and moved away from River and stomped off toward the bar. River folded her arms tightly across her chest and fixed her captain with a glare. "Tweren't doin' nothin'. Just talkin' 'bout musketeers is all."

"Jayne don't know when to stop," Mal muttered.

River rolled her eyes, picked up her Suzy Q and headed to the bar. Mal frowned after her until Zoe put a hand on his arm. "Sir, she ain't exactly helpless, ya' know."

He glared at Zoe. "I expected more help from ya' on this."

"I know what it's like to be a young woman. Can't expect her to be an adult one minute and a little girl the next. She pilots, goes on missions, and kills for us. Either she's capable of makin' her own decisions or she ain't. End o' story."

Will Thundermoon leaned over. "That boy were always breakin' hearts. He's just a big 'ol mountain o' cute to females, and he don't have a clue what to do 'bout it."

Mal raised an eyebrow at him. "Never heard the word 'cute' used in describing Jayne Cobb before."

"He were a sweet kid, ya' know, but his pa shipped him off early, he were only 13. Didn't want Jayne ta end up in the mines. Bosses was lookin' hard at him already. At 13, he were already the one of the biggest and strongest 'round. 'Ol Ben Cobb thought it best that he be sent off, but he didn't have nowhere to send 'im. Entrusted him to a group o' smugglers Ben thought was jus' cargo jockeys. They taught him well 'bout thievin' and cheatin', but never showed him much else. He's forever this boy tryin' ta figure out how to make sense o' right and wrong, and wonderin' when someone's goin' try and take his things away."

Zoe sat back. "Well, that explains a lot."

…………………………………………………………………………………..

Jayne was feelin' very good now with one woman perched on his lap and another behind him, her arms 'round his neck, massaging his chest. In the back o' his mind, he always wondered why Mal couldn't find the coin to put a couple o' these gals on ship. Give 'em a room and a couple of chores, and it were to be Jayne's job ta' keep 'em occupied all the rest o' the hours. He'd offer 'em up to Mal too even though he knew his captain wouldn't take 'em up on it, preferrin' to pine away after 'Nara."

One o' the girls came over and hissed at the girl sitting in his lap. "Stevie says there's a girl at the bar wants to be a whore. Says she wants details as ta' the health plan, whatever that is. Stevie says she's real purty and he thinks she's Core."

Jayne gave no warning, erupting both girls off o' him and stalkin' over ta the bar. River was seated calmly on a stool drinkin' straight ale. Without a word, he hauled her off the stool, threw her o'er his shoulder and walked outside. He hadn't thought 'bout how the killer woman might react, but she was fairly docile when he set her down in the street. Pointin' a finger at her, he said "I'm takin' ya' ta the ship and I'd rather not hafta' carry ya' the whole way."

She folded her arms squarely. "Not goin'. Got a job interview in a few minutes."

"Ya' ain't becomin' a whore no way, no how."

"I am a woman, and it's 'bout time I started actin' that way."

Jayne frowned at her as he tried to pick apart that statement for meanin'. Then it hit him and his face relaxed a little. "Yer gettin' urges is all, River."

She looked away. "Ain't nothin' I can do 'bout it trapped on Serenity where everyone treats me like I'm a baby."

"But yer a girl; not s'pposed to bother ya' that much."

She narrowed her eyes. "Those is jus' lies men tell themselves when they ignore their women."

Jayne realized he were wadin' outa' his depth, but he couldn't quite figure a way back to shore. "Ain't noboby gonna' let ya' be a whore. Ain't no kinda' job for a…woman o' yer skills. 'Sides yer brother'd likely stick me with some kinda' killin' needle the next time I need the infirmary iffn' I let that happen."

She took a step toward him, nodding softly. "Yer right. Probably best I deal with these urges with someone I know."

His eyes grew wide. "Wah de tyen, ah!" He stepped away from her. "Ain't no way, River! Bad idea! Getting' spots in front of my eyes even as we speak. Gonna' need ta sit down."

She cocked her head. "Ya' think I'm pretty. I know that. Sometimes I'm in yer thoughts, and so I'm sure yer equipment would respond to me nicely."

Jayne backpedaled until he fell hard on the stoop of the saloon with an oomph.

She wrinkled her brow at the spectacle. "It wouldn't mean nothin'. Jus' for fun."

Jayne shook his head, his arms gesticulating wildly. "Girls is always sayin' that, and the next thing ya' know, they're tryin' to civilize ya', trainin' ya' as ta how ta eat and talk, askin' ya' if ya' like kids, and then the next thing ya' know, 5 or 6 brothers o' hers is after ya' with shotguns 'bout a misunderstandin' ya' never knew took place!"

"I ain't like that."

He pointed an accusing finger at her. "No ya' ain't. When I mess up, yer jus' gonna' kill me in my sleep iffn' Mal hasn't already spaced me for touchin' ya'."

Her shoulders fell and a frown grew on her face. He thought he could see her face redden and he knew what were comin' next. "Listen Girl…er, Woman, I ain't got nothin' against ya', but the truth is that I'm a disappointment in the boyfriend department; always have been. Plus, I'm too old for ya', too cranky, too dumb, and too crooked. Ya' need a decent Core boy iffn' such a thing exists."

She shook her head. "I ain't Core no more. 'Sides what Core man goin' ta want a crazy killer fugitive woman who reads minds."

"We'll lie ta him."

She wrinkled up her face at him, wiping at her eyes. "Not yer problem, Big Man. Ya' can't help me. I understand."

Jayne winced. "Aw, come on, River. Ain't so bad…Hey! Maybe yer a little bit sly. What do ya' think 'bout that? I'd be happy to take ya' to a Sunday church meetin' and we could scout out a purty lil' girl for ya'. We'll stay away from the whores. Ya' should have somebody sweet. What do ya' say?"

Her face screwed up tighter and she wrapped her arms 'round her waist.

"Hey! Stop it! That were a fine idea." He stood up, shifting awkwardly from foot to foot. Her sobs were the final straw. "Gorram it, Girl! I am a Reaver Man. Did ya' forget? Yer crazy for even thinkin' 'bout me like that."

The sobs escalated and panicked, Jayne looked up and down the street. At the end of all of his resources, he jus' threw back his head and bellowed, "Help!"

It was wasted breath as Zoe was already standing at the door directly behind him, havin' gotten more than a mite uncomfortable when two of the most dangerous people in the 'Verse disappeared out the door. He turned at her heavy sigh and backed away, his arms up. "I didn't do nothin'. Swear on a stack o' good books, Zoe."

She nodded, walking past him. "Don't worry. I heard enough." She gathered the young woman into her arms and rocked her gently. "Its okay, River. Don't worry. We got plenty o' time to figure this out. Ya' just turned 18. Jayne is right. He's not a good kinda' guy for ya'. He's loud and rude and selfish and not very smart. Hell, he can barely take care o' his self."

Jayne put his hands on his hips and glared at them. "I might have a couple o' feelin's myself, ya' know."

Zoe glared at him and shushed him away with her hand. "I ain't thinkin' 'bout ya' right now. Go back and drink with the other fool men."

A drunken Mal, his arm around Will Thundermoon, picked this moment to stagger out of the saloon. He saw the crying girl and Jayne standin' there lookin' defensive, and it seemed that the only appropriate response in his current state was to be become unglued. With a roar, he let go o' Will and rushed Jayne who hadn't even noticed his captain on the saloon porch. Mal hit 'em low, and the two men fell hard on the dirt street. Jayne yelped, and exploded into frenetic energy. He began using his large fists to pummel Mal with no mercy. Mal expected resistance, but had no defense against the bigger man's relentless energy. As his face and body absorbed the onslaught, he heard his merc muttering over and over, "I ain't goin' let ya' et me. Ain't goin' let ya' et me. Ain't goin' get et."

Mal caught a glimpse of Zoe before his sight dimmed to blackness.

…………………………………………………………………….

When he woke, he was still in the dirt, several faces staring down at him in concern includin' Jayne. Jayne leaned in closer. "Next time ya' want ta beat on me, make sure ya' give me a bit o' warnin', okay, Mal? Thought ya' was a Reaver. Seems I'm operatin' on a hair trigger these days."

Zoe pushed him aside. "Sir, how ya' feelin'? River and I got him offa' ya' fast as we could."

River leaned in so close her hair brushed across his cheeks. "Sorry Captain. My fault. Jayne wasn't bein' mean. He were mad that I tried to inquire as to a girl whore position. And then I asked Jayne if he would—"

Zoe interrupted. "That's enough information, River. Captain gets as much of the picture as he needs to know."

Mal pried open his swollen jaw and spoke haltingly. "Iffn' I could reach my belt, I'd tan…yer hide, Girl. Do not ever…inquire into whoring again… Ya hear?" She nodded. Then he painfully turned to Zoe. "Tell that ape merc o' mine, he's gonna' hafta' carry me ta the ship. Ever'time I move my head, I see sparklies."

With less effort than it should take to lift a man Mal's size, Jayne hoisted him o'er his shoulder and followed the womenfolk back ta the ship. At one point, unable to help his self, he yelled ahead, "Does this mean I don't get my bedtime story?"

…………………………………………………………………………………….

In the next two days, Mal's face swelled spectacularly, colors ranging from yellow to purple, blue, and black painting his skin. He walked slowly as Jayne had badly bruised his arms and cracked two of his ribs. As punishment, he made Jayne load all the cargo from Will Thundermoon. It weren't much of a consequence as Jayne liked nothing more than to stay busy, and so he treated it as nothin' more than an extended session with weights.

Inara visited Mal that first night, spending hours dabbing at cuts and fussin' o'er bruises, but when he started to complain about Jayne she cut him off hard, tellin' him he were a nothin' but a damn jackrabbit for jumpin' a Reaver survivor from behind. When the aching in his jaw finally dimmed, he had to admit it was a fool thin' to do even iffn' he were soused to the gills.

The day before they was goin' to leave dirt, Mal sent Jayne with the doc over to update vaccines for Thundermoon's crew. It were usually the kind o' assignment he would fuss 'bout, but it gave him a chance to look o'er Will's warehouse. The man's success were eatin' at Jayne; he couldn't quite figure it. Will was clever but not known for his responsible ways.

The doc set up shop just outside the warehouse. Will went first, but his men was a tougher sell. Most o' his rats was uneducated longshoremen whose knowledge of medicine were mostly theoretical. Jayne always felt that a job worth doin' was worth doin' well so he did what he could to round 'em up. Ever' few minutes, Simon would look up to see Jayne draggin' the latest victim o'er; clearly unconcerned with the man's free will in the matter. Simon would've fussed at him, but it were easier jus' to dose 'em as disease and pestilence out on the Rim were always a problem. Jayne caught 'em and Simon dosed 'em; Will standin' off ta the side chucklin' as Jayne manhandled his crew. One slick character disappeared into the warehouse and Jayne took the opportunity ta follow him inside. The grin on Will's face started to fade. Jayne chased him through aisles loaded with merchandise, finally grabbin' an ankle and sendin' the kid into a shelf loaded down with dishes. China splintered 'round both o' them, Jayne doin' what he could to shield the boy from the shards. After all, it wouldn't do if he seriously damaged one o' Will's boys.

The boy lay curled up when Jayne pushed off o' him. Dishes was laying all o'er the floor, and Jayne marveled at the oddity of this stock item; not exactly stuff worth shippin' 'round the 'Verse. He picked some up and noted the names and crests on them. Isolated Rim colonies was a provincial lot, and they often took to developin' designs on plates and such to mark territory. He picked up plates that said, Tetonville, Rosewall, Hazeltown, and St. Pauline. He stopped at this last one; this being the name of the place Jayne, Mal, and crew took on Reavers. The boy were startin' to stir, and Jayne shoved the plate at him. "Where'd ya' get this?"

"Took it off the Sirius moon 'about six weeks ago."

Jayne frowned at him. Will didn't seem the plate collectin' type, but Sirius moon was where Mal had dropped the survivors from the Reaver attack. "Why ya' buyin' plates?"

"Not buyin' nothin'. Reavers hit the village on Sirius, and we was scavengin' after."

Jayne swallowed hard. "Reavers hit Sirius."

"Yup. Just two weeks after they tried to take a little place called St. Pauline. Couldn't take it though. Some kinda' resistance held 'em off."

Jayne was feelin' sick, but wasn't 'bout ta enlighten the boy as ta how those Reavers got beat. "How 'bout these other names? How'd ya' get these?"

The boy looked 'round and realized he were still alone with the big man. He sat up, talkin' softer. "Reavers took these places too."

"And ya' showed up to scavenge after."

He nodded.

A hot feelin' burnt Jayne's gut, but he couldn't stop seekin'. "Ya' and Will are just always Johnny ontha' spot after a Reaver attack, huh? That's a bit o' luck all right."

The boy's face twitched nervously. "Captain's a smart man. He know what he doin'."

Jayne looked 'round him, findin' three more Rim crests: DV73, Doorbay, New Arctic. "Nobody got this kinda' luck, Boy."

The boy lifted his eyes, and Jayne felt a presence behind him. He knew who it were. "Can ya' answer the question for the boy, Will?"

Will motioned at the boy who jumped up and ran off down the aisle, not stoppin' to brush the glass hangin' 'bout his clothes. He reached out ta offer Jayne a hand, but Jayne brushed him off and pulled himself to his feet. "Jayne, ya' always was a suspicious Hundan."

"Ya' gotta' a story to tell and I wanna' hear it."

Will sighed. "I know that ya' got attacked by Reavers. Figure ya' wasn't for talkin' 'bout it. I'm amazed ya' made it through, but, Hell, if somebody were to do it, why not you. I can tell Reaver's has got ya' rattled otherwise ya' wouldn't carry on so."

"Yer a crafty sort, Will. How ya' showin' up at all the right moments?"

"Don't come at me funny, Boy. Yer too crooked and mean ta be gettin' all righteous."

Someone sounded behind them, and Mal and Zoe came 'round an aisle. "Come on, Jayne. Leave this las' lil' bugger. We gotta' hit sky soon."

Jayne thrust the plate at Mal. "Will here knows the secret to bein' on the spot after a Reaver attack and then strippin' down a town to nothin'. Seems that Reavers took Sirius 'bout a week after we dropped St. Pauline folks there."

Zoe muttered curses under her breath while Mal looked at the plate in confusion. Jayne motioned to the dishes on the ground. "I see at least 8-9 different crests here; all towns taken by Reavers.

"Come on, Jayne," Will said. "I know yer sensitive 'bout all this, but I ain't responsible for what happened to ya'."

Zoe wandered the aisle lookin' in crates. "Seems ya' got a lot o' household and mercantile items. Good stuff. Ya' must strip pretty quick after Reavers hit sky again."

Will frowned. "ya' all startin' ta sound as pious as my grandmammy, and I know fer sure that ain't right considerin' yer thievers just as much as me."

"Ya' gotta' have some inside track," Mal said studying his new pal closely.

Will shifted between the two men nervously. "Listen iffn' ya' want ta get cut in, ya' gotta' take a different tone 'bout it. That's all."

Jayne looked at Mal. "I's thinkin' we could use a more steady income. I know I ain't above a lil' scavengin'. It'd be safe work for Zoe, what with a litter comin' and all."

Zoe strolled up. I'm in."

"I ain't showin' ya' ever'thing. I'll just give ya' a target and ya' hover low atmosphere for a few days 'til Reavers hit, then ya' drop, grab, and jump again."

"Mal shook his head. "Ya' can't know where Reavers is goin' to drop. I don't believe it."

Will worried his bottom lip for a bit. Finally, he said, "I gotta' system. Out here, Reavers monitor certain frequencies, and I figured out which one. So I drop info on the freq as to which spots are lookin' vulnerable and such. I post a ship at each spot, and Reavers drop fer sure at one of 'em within a week."

Jayne's mouth dropped open. He had to shake his head of the horror pictures 'fore he could respond. "Ya' scout for the Reavers?"

Will shrugged. "Reavers are goin' ta drop anyway. I can't stop that. Hell, even the alliance can't beat 'em. I'm jus' pointin' 'em in a direction so I can profit."

"Ya' don't warn nobody?" Mal's voice had a shaky quality to it.

"People hide their stuff iffn' warned. I ain't encouragin' Reavers, jus' pushin' 'em in a direction is all."

Jayne took a step toward him. "Ya' said that already."

"Ya'd do the same, Jayne iffn' ya' had the brains to think o' it."

"Then I guess I's lucky to be an idjit."

Will backed up a step. "I'm jus' like the next smuggler. All I did were to figure out a lil' edge; nothin' fancy. Be happy to share with ya'. Take what ya' want."

"I were there, Will. All o' us was there."

"Ain't my fault. Didn't know."

"Ya' ever been in a Reaver attack, Will. Ever seen what they do to girls who's barely inta their years? Ya' seen what they do ta the lil'uns? Ya' know what it's like to have 'em gnawin' at ya'? Hell, ya' gotta have some idear; after all, ya' drop while the bodies is still warm." Jayne seemed to grow in size.

"Jayne," Mal warned, stepping in between his merc and Thunder moon.

Jayne stopped at Mal's hand. "Jus' wanna' talk with 'im is all."

Mal turned to look at Will. "When were the last time ya' sent a report out on the freq?"

Will looked down at the ground.

"Better tell me now, Will. Can't hold him off forever. Iffn' ya' don't give me good info in ten seconds, I's gonna' let him wipe the floor up with yer face."

"Sent a signal up yesterday 'bout two spots."

Mal turned ta Jayne. "I need 'em to show me what he's got. Ya' take care o' this place. Dong ma?"

Jayne nodded imperceptibly, his eyes burning at his ol' friend. Zoe stepped up behind him, a hand on his shoulder. "We'll be fine, Sir. Ya' need ta git 'em outa' here though."

Mal poked a piece at Will's back and marched him outa' there. Zoe patted his back. "Come on, Jayne. Let's have a party."

……………………………………………………………………………………….

By the time, Mal brought Will off ship, there were a fire blazin' high in his warehouse. His men was tied ta a fence, Zoe and his merc was standin' side by side, watchin' the flames fervently.

Mal pushed Will at Jayne. "Ya' can do what ya' want with 'em."

Hands tied behind his back, Will tried to get away, but tripped and fell. Jayne went to stand o'er him. The man lay on the ground, his eyes shut tight. Jayne kicked him hard in the gut once and then again. A low keening sound came outa' Will. Jayne regarded this as if a curiosity, then he turned to Mal. "I can kill 'em?"

Mal nodded. "It's yer choice."

Jayne closed his eyes and breathed deeply. "But ya' wouldn't, would ya?"

"No, I guess I'd broadcast his crimes 'bout the quadrant. Let 'em deal with the consequences."

Jayne shook his head violently and kicked him hard again. The keenin' turned to a low guttural moan. Then he stepped away. "Promise me, yer gonna' broadcast it far and wide, Mal."

His captain nodded. "I got it covered."

Jayne nodded slowly and then turned and walked away down the street to his home.

……………………………………………………………………………………………..

He threw a crate against a bulkhead, and the sound of banging metals reverberated throughout the cargo bay. "Ain't goin', Zoe!"

"They ain't takin' us serious, Jayne. We gotta' go and warn 'em."

"That's real tasty, ain't it. Jus' fly right back inta Reavers. They's probably takin' the place as we speak."

"Captain's on the horn talkin' to the magistrate right now. We'll be there in 5-6 hours. Jus' drop fer a lil' talk and then we jump back inta the sky."

He hefted another crate and swung it hard. This one burst open, shootin' farm equipment across the room. Zoe squeezed her eyes shut, glad she were up on the walk. When she opened 'em again, Jayne were still standin' there, implements scattered 'round him. He looked up sheepishly. "Don't tell nothin' to no one. I'll put it right."

"Ya' don't even hafta' leave ship."

Jayne's face clouded again. "Damn straight! I'm tellin' ya', Zoe iffn', it were someone else on this ship Reaver crazy, there'd be a helluva lot more care 'bout where we was droppin'."

"Big man's right," floated a soft voice. Zoe turned to see River comin' down the walk.

"Not a good time to be here, River."

"Gotta' be here, I can feel 'im everywhere. He's so loud!" This last comment she directed o'er the railing.

"Ain't yer business, River Girl!" He yelled up at her. "Ain't my fault my thoughts comin' knockin' at yer crazy head."

She leaned o'er the railing. "Jus' want ya' to know that I think yer right. We would be more careful if it was someone else Reaver crazy on the ship."

Jayne nodded, a frown forming. "Why ya agreein' with me?"

"'Cause it's true."

Jayne gestured at Zoe. "See! The moonbrain says so too and bein' a genius, she oughta' know!"

Zoe looked at River. "Care to explain why yer escalatin' our merc."

She looked back down at him. There's no like ya', Jayne. Always been that way, but now it's even more so. Yer a Reaver man but ya' ain't Reaver crazy. First person anyone ever knew to turn out that way."

His frown deepened. "Ya' sure 'bout that?"

She nodded. "Rules is different for people like us."

"Ya' and me ain't alike, Moonbrain."

"More than ya' know, Big Man. We's both strong and broken and dangerous and one o' a kind."

He cocked his head. "Ne'er thought 'bout it like that."

"Nobody wants ta get too close. Afraid we'll turn on 'em. Even Simon stays tense 'round me now."

"True that is."

Zoe looked with suspicion from one to the other.

"We're Reaver hunters, Jayne."

He shook his head. "Don't know 'bout that."

"Ya' especially. They did almost ever'thing to ya' and ya' survived. Ya' know the worst of what they is, but it don't stop ya' none from livin' and breathin' and fightin'. Nobody else can say that."

He closed his eyes and sighed deeply. "Throwin' me back at Reavers is a bad idear."

"We's not throwin'. We's hunters, ya' and I. We know how they think, how they operate. We gotta' think on what to tell these settlers 'bout how to fight 'em."

"Iffn' they show up whilst we's doin' this?"

"Then we lead 'em in battle."

"That ain't much of an idear, River."

"Think back, Big Man. Think 'bout what it were like when ya' was pickin' 'em off. Think 'bout what ya' felt when ya' dropped Zoe in that Reaver hole. Ya' felt good. I know ya' did. Yer a good hunter. I got things to learn from ya'."

"Iffn' Mal had strategized better, we'd have had a chance. Ne'er shoulda' separated."

Zoe nodded, amazed at the intensity between the two of them.

"When ya' know som'thing, no one else knows, ya' gotta' use it. It's power, Jayne. Knowledge is power. Ya' don't want ta hide what makes ya' special, do ya'? Them Reavers ain't got ya' cowed such that yer gonna' hide yer talents behind yer fears?"

"Quit yer yammerin' Girl and get down here. We gotta' pull a map on this place. Get some demographics and such." Jayne started frantically gatherin' up farm implements. A man like him couldn't strategize with a room full o' clutter.

Zoe thought 'bout stayin', but they had long since lost track o' her. As she turned, she felt a funny ache in her growin' belly. At first she was alarmed, but remembered that Simon told her the seed were goin' ta' start kickin' any day now.

The End

_Translations_

Wah de tyen, ah Dear God in heaven!

Hundan Bastard or Jerk

Fei Fei Baboon

Ta muh dah Fuck me blind!

Go se Crap or shit

Ni men dou idiot

Dong ma understand

Yu bun duh Stupid


End file.
